How can you take effective breaks during long game development hours?

I'm a writer, educator, and tutor, but I'm also an artist and a yoga teacher. Each of these past times requires different body positions and different types of focus. With my students I tutor, we set a timer for brakes, and I always change up the environment to go to fresh air if we need to be indoors on a screen. Sunshine and daylight help your body clock.

The Pomodoro technique is quite effective as a first-step in exploring how you work best. You can google browser-based timers to avoid using your phone, if that helps. But don't stop there: explore different patterns and find what works best for you. Some flexibility will be needed: sometimes you'll need to stick through a long meeting or brainstorm session. When that happens, be just as flexible with yourself on how you need to decompress.

It's a well-stablished fact that you're a product of your environment. That's true for large scale personality or cultural make-ups, but it remains so in the microcosm of your day-to-day activities. To rely on this psychological truth, make sure you're as intentional as possible with your environment - Leave your office table when taking a breather, and only return when you're ready to get into that mindspace. This "behavioral hygiene" will help set you for success in the same way that making sure you only lay down in bed when you intend to sleep improves your sleep schedule.

If you're feeling like you're fixed in your chair and not taking breaks then you should 'paws' for a second and consider getting a dog! Jokes aside, you'll get a loyal companion (work colleague) and a perfect excuse for taking regular breaks. Just remember a dog isn't just for Christmas :-)

We sit in an office chair for far too long! And if you're a game dev like me, you kind of have to. Here's a few tips I learned along the way to help minimize the associated damages: Invest in a table you can set up as a standing desk, and work standing up whenever you're not doing complex tasks. Meetings or document reviews can be done easily so, in my experience. Make sure to stretch your posterior tendons, like your hamstrings. These can get shortened and leave you with some limited mobility and cause some chronic pain. Mine started to improve after I took upon pilates classes, but stretching with a elastic band on a yoga mat was a great first step. 10 minutes in the morning, 10 in the evening - a game changer!

If you are stuck on something, go for a walk! 5-10 minutes is enough to get more oxygen in your bloodstream, reduce your overall stress level and look at your problem from a different point of view (literally). If the weather is a bit too hostile for your taste, you can do that inside in most offices (stairs are your friends!).

Of course you absolutely need to eat and drink, 😋 but when deep in implementation, coding or playing it's a challenge just to remember to take the time out. Some tips from a battle hardened designer..! 🏃♀️Try to aim to do this away from your desk if you can (big challenge) 🗣️If you enjoy socialising while eating or drinking also try not to talk about work (bigger challenge) 🍰Try to keep hydrated and avoid unhealthy treats when working long hours (biggest challenge!)

Always listen to the prompts and messages your body is sending you. When you too- strictly adhere to schedules, even for breaks, you may override your body's natural need for rest. For example, blinking your eyes, or squeezing them shut, or changing your focus to far after looking at a close screen. sometimes we even fall into shallow breathing and are unaware of it. Get out in the fresh air, clean out your lungs, change your body's position, jump around, shake yourself so your nervous system gets reset. Change things up according to that day's needs.