INTENTIONAL

RECOVERY:
The Secret Ingredient You Can
Add Today for an Energized
Workforce Tomorrow
 Intentional recovery

Establishing
the problem

Before re-energizing your team,

we need to recognize what
exactly is causing the problem.

You know that 2:30 pm, glazed-over look that Research shows when given more frequent
seems to be as consistent as it is contagious? breaks, employees feel less stress and maintain
That’s the problem we’re looking to solve.

productivity. From a guided stretch break to a

With employees juggling deadlines, heading to
and from meetings, and popping on and off
phone calls and video chats, plus, adding in the
mindless phone-scrolling “breaks,” it’s easy to
see how burnout has become the major
short walk, there is an entire range of ways to
help people mentally recover and remain
productive. And, even if you don’t provide a
structured or guided break, time away from
work, screens, and a desk has been proven to
still elevate creativity and employee retention.

problem it has.

Really, this is more than a win-win. It’s a 


But traditional office culture and habits have a win-win-keep-on-winning.

long history and some deep roots, and while

those roots reach far and wide, they’re By encouraging your teams to take the time
strangling productivity in every office, at every they need to re-energize and refresh, they’ll be
desk.

 able to physically and mentally recover from
the work stress and burnout we are all a bit too
Something has to change.

familiar with.

The solution might surprise you, but did you

know that one surefire way to increase
productivity while simultaneously decreasing
burnout is time away from the desk or screen?
 Intentional recovery

But why not help your employees make the A few key areas for recovery that can help your
most of these breaks?

employees’ overall wellness, productivity, and

energy are:
A supportive culture matters but you also have
to empower people with the time, tools, and Hydration as recovery

strategies to help them use those practices to Breathing techniques

improve their well-being and increase

Out-of-office recovery
workplace engagement.



The first step is, of course, having a supportive We tend to think that the best way to help
and encouraging work culture. But being able implement these types of habits is by adding
to provide people with the ideal tools, strategies, quick 15-minute recovery breaks throughout
and practices is key to elevating their the workday.

workplace productivity, engagement, and their

overall well-being.

But before we get into all the details about how

Having the proper tools to support and guide
your employees during their recharge breaks
and recovery is critical as we work to better
support and care for our teams.
to make the most of these breaks, let’s talk a bit
about what we mean when we say a 15-
minute recovery break.

“Give employees a playbook of

things they are going to choose —
tools that they can use on their
own, any time, free of cost.”

Chris Bertram, Ph.D., Exos Senior Director of Applied Neuroscience

 Intentional recovery

Recharge
breaks

What are they, how do they

work, and why we think
they’re game-changers.

You know that dark breakroom with the slow- can look very different from person to person;
moving fan, microwave that always smells like team to team; business to business; and even
burnt popcorn, and the fridge that no one, we day to day.

mean no one, ever wants to clean out? That

space doesn’t exactly scream “Come on in! A 15-minute Recharge Break could look:
Rest, recharge, and re-energize!”

Employees taking a stretch break at

their desks.
And yet, that image is what comes to mind for
most of the corporate world, when you talk Folks heading outside for a quick breath of
about breaks at work. So how do we change fresh air.
the idea of breaks, and elevate the way our People refilling their water bottles
people are utilizing them?

and staying hydrated.

The 15-minute Recharge Break is designed for
your team to make the most of their breaks at
work, to promote next-level health, better
energy, and increased productivity.
A scheduled group office activity.
There are a million other ways to help your
people break up the day, take a break, and

recharge. But encouraging your employees to

make time for these breaks is an effective way
When employees take time away from their for folks to destress and counteract the effects
desks, computers, meetings, and calls we call of sitting too much or looking at screens 

those moments Recharge Breaks. And they too long.


These Recharge Breaks can really have a wide
positive ripple effect on your employees’ lives
and your work culture. There are a lot of
reasons we highly recommend implementing
these 15-minute, game-changing breaks in any
department, but our top five would have to be
because they:
Maintain Rhythms
Have them look out an office window and
Similar to how people have circadian rhythms
that govern optimal sleep and active times,
studies suggest that people work best in blocks
of 90 minutes to 2 hours. So leveraging that info
is critical to help promote wellness and focus.
Even if employees can’t leave their desks, taking
a break about every two hours can help them
stay focused and productive. If they’re on video
calls all day, encourage them to turn the
camera off and move around a bit. Have
employees schedule timed breaks between
meetings to avoid getting burnt out. Even just
taking a minute or two to stretch; do a few
lunges, swats, or shoulder rolls; or take a walk
around the office, can help your team develop
day-to-day habits and rhythms that help them
stay focused and passionate about their work.
counterproductive, and honestly a little
Increase Focus
exposure, fresh air, and a wildly helpful change
See if this scenario feels familiar, you’ve been
working on a project for so long your eyes are
burning and your whole body is tired, yet you’re
nowhere near done because you’ve
accidentally spent way too long scrolling
through social media, online shopping, or
checking your emails? Don’t worry. We’ve all
Intentional recovery
been there. But what if we told you that taking
time away from screens is not only good for
you and your employees' eyes and mental
health but also for productivity levels? A little
screen-free time can go a long way. So
encourage people in your office to do a little
eye workout, when their screen time is getting
too long. Here’s how:
focus on a tree or car or something in the
distance for about 30 seconds.
Then shift their focus back to an object on
their desk (not a screen!).
Repeat as needed throughout the day to help
support optical muscles, work on shifting
focus from one thing to another, and help
trigger a better workflow.
Provide the Benefits of the Outdoors
Staying inside to work all day was once seen as
a badge of honor in the corporate world,
however, we now know that that idea is
depressing. Even just a 10-minute walk outside
can have amazing benefits, like vitamin D
of scenery. Plus, stepping into the great
outdoors, even those great outdoors are just a
parking lot or office patio, can help reduce
stress and improve mood. If possible, encourage
your employees to take meetings outside or
while walking around the building; if not, help
them find time to take even just a few minutes
for fresh air throughout each work day.

Encourage Teamwork
Improve Performance
Similar to fitness centers helping to bring
employees together to stay healthy, Recharge
Breaks can play a vital role in teamwork on a
smaller scale, in-person or virtually. By
encouraging employees to get moving
throughout the day, you allow your team to
spend time together that they won’t have
sitting at a desk. Remember, it’s easy to let the
day fly by, head down, working, but for your
employees to stay motivated, productive, and
passionate, a little time away from work and
interacting with co-workers can go a long way.
Whether it’s encouraging people to get up and
move during long meetings or scheduling group
stretch sessions, these breaks are a great way
to foster community and team building.
Intentional recovery
It’s a simple formula: work + rest = success. And
for us at Exos, it’s a core tenant of our system
but it applies at an hour-by-hour level as well.
Think about it this way, employees who have
ample opportunity for mental and physical
breaks throughout the day have more energy,
better moods, fewer errors, and overall stronger
performance. Self-care goes a long way, and
helping your people take a few moments each
hour to take better care of themselves is one
way to increase productivity, community, and
performance. Integrating these Recharge
Breaks throughout the day is key in helping your
team stay motivated and focused – and you
won’t have to worry about burnout or turnover.

 Intentional recovery

15-minute
recharge break

Need a little help getting started? Here’s a

quick 15-minute movement routine to add to
your employee’s schedule 3-5 times a week.

Start with self-massage. Foam roll your quads and tensor

fasciae latae, or TFL. (Your TFL is located near the front of
your hips, behind your pant pocket.) Then use a massage
ball to do trigger point massage on your pec minor. 

(A tennis ball or lacrosse ball works well, too.)

Work on mobility. Do a half-kneeling quad/hip

flexor stretch for about 30 seconds per side
followed by a 90/90 arm sweep.

Then improve stability. Do a set of Ys, Ts, Ws, and Ls, followed
by a DNS eight-month posture, glute bridge, DNS star
pattern, and plank with shoulder tap. While this movement
routine is great for shoring up your weak spots, remember,
improving your posture is how you’ll benefit most.

 Intentional recovery

Hydration 

as recovery
Time to keep the bottles flowing.

Importance of Water

The average American adult drinks just shy 


of five glasses of water a day, according 

Did you know that more than half your body to the CDC.

weight is water? Not muscle, not fat, not organs

– just plain old, H20.

Read that again: five glasses a day.

Crazy, right? We’re basically just human 
 That’s just not enough, and you might be
water bottles.

thinking, you’ve got your trusted, much-loved

water bottle by your side all day, and your
All that water is critical for keeping you cool, company makes sure each employee has one
moving oxygen and nutrients through your as well. But actually drinking through that bottle
body, and flushing out waste. But it also can and refilling it can be a bit trickier.



impact your productivity at work; research has
shown that not getting enough water can
negatively affect:
How Much Water

Memory
The common recommendation is about 64
Attention span
ounces a day, or around 8 glasses, however,
Energy levels that’s just a general recommendation.



And with your body constantly using up that A better way to think of it is to aim to drink half
water supply with all your breathing, sweating, an ounce of water per every pound of body
and bathroom breaks, you’ve got to make sure weight. So if you weigh 128 pounds, then the
you (and your employees) are taking the 
 64-ounce recommendation is the ideal fit. If
time to refill. you weigh more, you need to drink more.

 Intentional recovery

How to Build the Habit

Not everyone loves the taste of water, it can be Slow &

steady
pretty boring, so how do you and your team
build a long-lasting, hydration habit?

Water isn’t the only way to stay hydrated. Try

wins 

adding in any of these options to help your
body and team avoid dehydration:

the race

Unsweetened tea or non-sugary beverages

Infused water (mint, basil, lemon, etc.)

Fruits (watermelon, cucumbers, berries, etc.)

Vegetables (cucumbers, lettuce, celery, leafy

greens, etc.)
If you’re thirsty, you’re already
playing catch-up. Make sure to start
the day with a large glass of water
One way to keep your team or department (before coffee or juice).

well-hydrated is to make it a team activity. Throughout the day, find your favorite
Make it a little friendly competition, even if it’s mug or glass to keep you motivated and
just for bragging rights, a little competition can remember:

go a long way when motivating folks.

Start each meeting by checking glasses and

making sure everyone has their bottle nearby, 1 gulp 2 ounces
you’ll be encouraging a healthy habit and
helping employees stay motivated, creative,
and energized.

8 ounces 1 gulp every

15 minutes

1 gulp/15 64 ounces/
minutes day
 Intentional recovery

Recovery
breathing
techniques

Breath in, breath out,

and recharge.

When it comes to stress, everyone has ways of Optimizing your breath doesn’t have to be hard
coping. But one way to help you and your team and there are many ways to customize it so
recover from work stress is as simple as each person on your team can make the most
breathing in and breathing out.

of this recovery technique.

Controlled nasal and diaphragmatic breathing Here are a few different breathing exercises to
can have a calming effect on your body. It can:
share with your employees to help reduce
stress, promote health, and increase energy.

Lower blood pressure

Slow breath rate

Resonance Breathing

Cool the body

Reduce anxiety
Six breaths. One Minute. That’s it. Buddhist
Lower heart rate
monks and yogi practices have used this
Promote relaxation
method for thousands of years. Inhale for six
seconds and exhale for six seconds. If that’s too
Help balance the nervous system

hard, start with inhaling for four seconds and

exhaling for six seconds, or five for both, and
work your way to the six-second mark.

 Intentional recovery

“Bee Breath” or Bhramari

4–7–8 Breath

Get comfortable, close your eyes; relax your
lips, jaw, and tongue. Take a slow, controlled
breath through your nose; exhale through your
nose, while making a humming sound. Repeat
six or seven times. Experiment with humming at
higher and lower pitches to see how that
affects your body and relaxation.
This breathing tool helps reduce anxiety, and
can even help some people fall asleep. Rest the
tip of your tongue on the roof of your mouth,
directly behind your upper front teeth. Release
any tension from your body by pushing the air
through your lips, so it makes a whooshing

sound. Inhale through your nose for four

seconds with your mouth closed. Hold your
breath for seven seconds. Exhale through your
Box Breathing

mouth for eight seconds. Start by repeating this

four times and eventually work up to eight
Popular with the U.S. Navy SEALs this breathing repetitions.
is a powerful stress relief and an easy tempo to
remember: just think of a box with four sides.
Start with a slow inhale through your nose for
four seconds. Hold your breath for four seconds.
Exhale through your mouth for four seconds.
Hold your breath for four seconds. Begin again.
If four is too much, start with three seconds.

 Intentional recovery

Out-of-Office

Recovery

Work-life balance is key.

When it comes to keeping your employees energized, passionate, and motivated, work-life

balance and out-of-office recovery are key factors. As your teams and departments clock out,

make sure to remind them of a few key areas of self-care to help them recover and return to work

energized and ready.

Improve Sleep Hygiene
 Take a Vacation

Getting enough sleep is one of the top ways In our culture being busy is a point of pride,

to naturally increase energy. And remember, but in reality, it reduces performance and

it’s quality as well as quantity, so consistency leads to a lack of physical and mental

is key. So head to bed at the same time each recovery. Vacations and Paid Time Off are

night and avoid technology for a bit before designed to help us slow down, step outside of

you hit the hay. Also, make sure the room is our normal routines, sleep more, and rest our

dark, cool, and screen-free.

mental load. They have even been shown to

reenergize employees and help them return

Get Outside

to work with new vigor and passion. So

Being in nature or getting outdoors helps

instead of looking at it as something

reset the mind and body, and boosts energy

employees have to do, try to look at it as a

levels. From breathing in the fresh air and

tool to help your teams thrive, enhance

taking in the sight of trees, flowers, and

employee well-being, and reduce burnout.

bodies of water or simply getting away from

Encouraging employees to set boundaries for

technology, the outdoors provides a natural

their energy management and helping them

energy boost that can be just as beneficial as

properly utilize their PTO is a major strategy in

hitting the gym.

taking care of your teams, departments, and

employees, while also avoiding turnover and

increasing productivity.

 Intentional recovery

Maintain Energy,
Passion, and Focus

Avoid burnout, elevate community,

and increase productivity.

When it comes to helping your employees stay It’s amazing what a quick 15-minute Recovery
energized and focused, there are so many Break can do, and helping your people make
different techniques and tools to help them the most of those breaks is a critical step in
recover, physically and emotionally. From promoting community, health, and productivity.
staying hydrated to simply breathing, you can
help implement changes that will in turn help
your teams develop habits that increase
motivation, passion, and overall well-being.