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T H E L I T T L E B O O K O F B R E A K S

Contents
Brainteasers Jokes The Kit Kat quiz......................................2 The chocolate quiz..................................4 Barmy blunders.......................................6 Global blunders.......................................8 Classroom blunders............................10 Chat-up lines and put downs....................12 You know youre a cat lover when......14 You know youre a dog lover when..16 You know youre a mobile addict when..18 You know youre an e-mail addict when..20 How to spend your lottery millions.............22 What those text messages really mean......24 Amazing Anagrams the pop world...........26 Amazing Anagrams sport.......................28 Amazing Anagrams place names............30 Ridiculous Riddles.......................................32 Irritating Illusions........................................34

Puzzles

Amazing facts Triffic Trivia...................................................36 Hyper Human...........................................38 Super Science............................................40 15 minute expert Relaxation techniques Internet expert........................................42 Flirt like an expert.....................................44 The think tank...........................................46 How to chill-out .....................................48 Breathing ...............................................50 How to meditate.......................................52 Tips on getting to sleep...............................54

Brief exercises Yoga......................................................56 Chair-based workout..................................58

T H E L I T T L E B O O K O F B R E A K S

Think you know your Kit Kats? The answers can be found at the end of the quiz, as well as on the Kit Kat Web site: www.kitkat.co.uk. 1. The Rowntrees Chocolate Crisp bar was renamed as Kit Kat in which year? A 1937 B 1945 C 1955 2. The Kit Kat name was inspired by? A A stray cat adopted by a Rowntree employee B Londons Kit Kat club C The sound of snapping chocolate 3. Due to post-war milk shortages, Kit Kats were made for a time with plain chocolate. What colour were the wrappers changed to? A Orange B Blue C Yellow 4. Have A Break - Have A Kit Kat was first used in a TV advert when? A 1957 B 1962 C 1967

BRAINTEASERS - THE KIT KAT QUIZ


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T H E L I T T L E B O O K O F B R E A K S

5. The single fingered Kit Kat Chunky was launched when? A 1979 B 1989 C 1999 6. At which position does Kit Kat rank in the UK confectionery market? A Number one B Number two C Number three 7. Enough Kit Kats are produced to out-stack the Eiffel Tower every . . . A Day B Five minutes C Week 8. How many Kit Kats are eaten in the UK every second? A7 B 27 C 47 9. One days production of Kit Kats would stretch around? A The world B The London Underground C Heathrow Airport
Answers 1. A 2. B 3. B 4. A 5. C 6. A 7. B 8. C 9. B

BRAINTEASERS - THE KIT KAT QUIZ


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T H E L I T T L E B O O K O F B R E A K S

Think youre a true chocoholic? Lets see how much you really know! 1. The original form of chocolate was? A Powder B Solid C A drink 2. What is the approximate melting point of chocolate? A 35oC B 70oC C 105oC 3. How should chocolate be melted when cooking? A In a heatproof bowl over a pan of simmering water B In a saucepan over a high heat C Mixed with water in a saucepan 4. Christopher Columbus discovered chocolate in? A Europe B Central America C Asia 5. The cocoa bean grows? A On a tree B In the ground C In water

BRAINTEASERS - THE CHOCOLATE QUIZ


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T H E L I T T L E B O O K O F B R E A K S

6. On a really hot day, where is the best place to store chocolate? A In direct sunlight B In your pocket C In a cool place, like a fridge

BRAINTEASERS - THE CHOCOLATE QUIZ

7. Where does the word chocolate come from? A Switzerland B Mexico C Kenya

Answers 1. C 2. A 3. A 4. B 5. A 6. C 7. B

T H E L I T T L E B O O K O F B R E A K S

Need cheering up during your break? While enjoying a Kit Kat, treat yourself to a feast of mad blunders, cheesy chat-up lines and jokes on the next few pages.

In 1876, the Post Office rejected the concept of the telephone on the grounds that most people had access to small boys who could deliver messages for them. When the young Paul McCartney tried to join his local cathedral choir, he was turned down on the basis that he was tone deaf and couldnt sing. The first canned food was sold in 1812. The first can-opener, however, didnt appear until 1860. Gloucester town council passed a housing law making it illegal for tenants in public housing to die without giving at least 30 days notice.

JOKES - BARMY BLUNDERS


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T H E L I T T L E B O O K O F B R E A K S

A criminal suspect was interrogated by mischievous police by placing a metal colander on his head and connecting it with wires to a photocopier. The message Hes lying was placed in the photocopier, and the police pressed the copy button each time they thought the suspect wasnt telling the truth. Believing the Lie Detector was working, the suspect confessed.

JOKES - BARMY BLUNDERS


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The Beatles were turned down by a number of record companies before they finally secured a deal. A representative from one of them explained his reasoning: he believed guitar-based groups were on their way out.

T H E L I T T L E B O O K O F B R E A K S

A business consultant in Sweden worked for 13 years on a book about the Swedish economy. For safety, he took the 250 page manuscript to be copied. A worker confused the photocopier with the shredder, however, and reduced the manuscript to thousands of tiny strips of paper.

JOKES - GLOBAL BLUNDERS


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A City Council in California enacted a ban on nuclear weapons, and set a $500 fine for anyone who detonated one within city limits.

The Vauxhall Nova was not well suited to Spanish speaking countries. No Va means It Does Not Go in Spanish.

In Chinese, the Kentucky Fried Chicken slogan finger-lickin good came out as eat your fingers off.

T H E L I T T L E B O O K O F B R E A K S

In 1875, the Director of the United States Patent Office resigned, and recommended that the entire patent office be closed down. His reason for doing so was his belief that there was nothing left to be invented.

JOKES - GLOBAL BLUNDERS

A man was arrested at a US airport hotel after he tried to pass two (counterfeit) $16 bills.

When a cola company first exported to Taiwan, their slogan Come alive with the . . . Generation was translated into Chinese rather too literally as this drink brings your ancestors back from the grave.
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T H E L I T T L E B O O K O F B R E A K S

These are genuine examples of childrens writing, collected by a school teacher.

Two halves make a whale.

JOKES - CLASSROOM BLUNDERS

You are under a rest and you will be remembered in custard for the night, said the policeman.

If you are really naughty at the big school you will get exploded from school and you cant go back then.

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T H E L I T T L E B O O K O F B R E A K S

JOKES - CLASSROOM BLUNDERS

Planets can grow in pots or in soil. Planets come from a blub or sid.

There was no transpot in Roman times. The soldiers had to walk everywhere and some other people came from Rome on their carrots.

Last week it was Jacks berthday. He brort a cak to school and we all had a pis. I had a pink pis.

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T H E L I T T L E B O O K O F B R E A K S

I never forget a face. Neither do I, but in your case Ill try and make an exception.

JOKES - CHAT-UP LINES AND PUT DOWNS

Do you come here often? Not if you do.

Do you think it was fate that brought us together? No. It was just bad luck.

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T H E L I T T L E B O O K O F B R E A K S

JOKES - CHAT-UP LINES AND PUT DOWNS

Youve got the face of an angel. And youve got the face of a saint a Saint Bernard.

Hi there. Id like to ask you whats your idea of a perfect evening? The one I was having before you came over.

Hi, Im a magician. Perhaps I could perform a spell for you? OK, can you make yourself disappear?

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T H E L I T T L E B O O K O F B R E A K S

JOKES - YOU KNOW YOURE A CAT LOVER WHEN . . .

You take the phrase cat nap literally and can often be found enjoying a siesta curled up in a wicker basket.

You learned to miaow before you could talk.

You train as a cordon bleu cook just so you can prepare 5-star meals for your moggie. She occasionally throws you the scraps.

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T H E L I T T L E B O O K O F B R E A K S

JOKES - YOU KNOW YOURE A CAT LOVER WHEN . . .

In order to share a greater affinity with your Tom, you have a human flap installed.

You dont own a nail file any more, you simply join your cat in scratching trees.

You want your cat to travel in style so you buy him a Furrari.

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T H E L I T T L E B O O K O F B R E A K S

You tape all series of Pet Rescue just in case it features one of your canine friends.

JOKES - YOU KNOW YOURE A DOG LOVER WHEN . . .

Your ideal holiday would be in Battersea Dogs Home

You talk to your dog and it talks back.

Your postman wont come near you in case you bite him.

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T H E L I T T L E B O O K O F B R E A K S

JOKES - YOU KNOW YOURE A DOG LOVER WHEN . . .

Your favourite film is 101 Dalmatians.

You walk on all fours in order to see the world the way your dog does.

You hate cats.

You often sleep on the floor because you dont like to disturb the dog who is snoring happily on your bed.

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T H E L I T T L E B O O K O F B R E A K S

JOKES - YOU KNOW YOURE A MOBILE ADDICT WHEN . . .


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Your mobile phone provider no longer sends you itemised bills it costs them too much man-time (and trees) to print them out.

T H E L I T T L E B O O K O F B R E A K S

JOKES - YOU KNOW YOURE A MOBILE ADDICT WHEN . . .

Youd rather ruin someones wedding vows than miss a call.

A toddler asks for a mobile for Christmas, and is upset when you buy a phone to hang above the cot.

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T H E L I T T L E B O O K O F B R E A K S

JOKES - YOU KNOW YOURE AN E-MAIL ADDICT WHEN . . .

You suffer from a bad case of cold turkey when your Internet connection fails for a whole day.

You are the life and soul of the partyas long as its being held in a chat room.

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T H E L I T T L E B O O K O F B R E A K S

JOKES - YOU KNOW YOURE AN E-MAIL ADDICT WHEN . . .

You are always flattered when people refer to you as a nerd.

You count new messages, not sheep.

Youre not in contact with your parentsbecause they cant get the hang of e-mail.

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T H E L I T T L E B O O K O F B R E A K S

A break is a good time to check your lottery numbers. But what will you spend the money on if you win?

JOKES - HOW TO SPEND YOUR LOTTERY MILLIONS


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Why not buy your very own island? A haven of tranquillity and beauty in any ocean can be yours for anything between 50,000 to 10 million. Youll want to buy a flash new car, so youll need to sell the old one. Why not advertise it on the side of a European Space Agency rocket? Yours for just 1 million o.n.o. How about buying a million lottery tickets with your winnings? With a million combinations, you could probably win a couple of hundred tenners, maybe make up to a million without even winning the jackpot. Your entries alone would put up the jackpot considerably. Of course, youd need to employ hundreds of people just to check the tickets. That could put you back a fortune in wages!

T H E L I T T L E B O O K O F B R E A K S

Buy a football team. 1 million doesnt buy much in the soccer world these days, but its a fun way to lose money! Buy your way into a major movie. If the price is right you could buy your way into a scene with your favourite actor or actress. Want to tell someone you love them? Do it in style by spending your money on hiring the Red Arrows to perform a personal routine, finishing with a coloured smoke I love you to be seen for miles around. For a really cool way to waste your wealth, hire a fleet of tug boats and tow a huge iceberg down from the Arctic into the English Channel. Then let the worlds best ice sculptors loose on it to create a massive bust of yourself. Once completed, tow it all around the country until it melts. Treat yourself to a lifetimes supply of Kit Kat.

JOKES - HOW TO SPEND YOUR LOTTERY MILLIONS


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T H E L I T T L E B O O K O F B R E A K S

JOKES - WHAT THOSE TEXT MESSAGES REALLY MEAN

Sending text is slick, fast, efficient, concise and very minimalist - perfect for catching up with friends during a short break. But when someone texts you, what do those abbreviations really mean?

****** Its snowing. Its raining. IlBRdyIn5Mins Have to have a shower, choose an outfit, phone my best friend and put on my makeup shouldnt take too long! Hlp!EmrgncyHuryHomeQck Aaaaaargh! Theres a spider in the bath! IvStrtedDecor8ngThHouse Ive done the hard bit buying the wallpaper and paint you can do the rest.

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T H E L I T T L E B O O K O F B R E A K S

I4GiveU Now that Ive cut all your clothes in half Im willing to consider reconciliation. UCnBoroMyClthsNEtimeULke I need to borrow your new dress for a party next week. IvGtAScret2TelU-PromisNt2TelASoul Heres a juicy bit of gossip but dont pass it on until Ive finished telling all my friends.

JOKES - WHAT THOSE TEXT MESSAGES REALLY MEAN

.... .- ...- . .- -... .-. . .- -.Im a conventionalist so I much prefer to send text in the old-fashioned way. IDotADold I seem to have suddenly come down with a very bad cold. SryCntCalU-Im@MprtntMtng I have taken the afternoon off and am currently undertaking an important putt at the sixteenth.

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T H E L I T T L E B O O K O F B R E A K S

PUZZLES - AMAZING ANAGRAMS THE POP WORLD

Anagrams can reveal hidden meanings within words simply by re-arranging the letters. The following pages contain some surprising anagram revelations for you to enjoy while munching your Kit Kat. Rearranging the letters of Noel and Liam Gallagher gives:

HELL! ALL GRAND EGOMANIA.


Rearranging the letters of Sir Paul McCartney, ex-Beatle bass guitarist gives:

NATURAL BABY! CREATES GREAT SIXTIES LP MUSIC


Rearranging the letters of Rod Stewart gives:

WORST DATER
Rearranging the letters of The Rolling Stones gives:

HELL! SING SO ROTTEN!

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T H E L I T T L E B O O K O F B R E A K S

PUZZLES - AMAZING ANAGRAMS THE POP WORLD

Rearranging the letters of The singer Gareth Paul Gates gives:

AGHAST, GET EARPLUGS IN THERE!

Rearranging the letters of Singer Charlotte Church gives:

SCREECHING CHORAL TRUTH

Rearranging the letters of The Brit Awards gives:

WHAT DIRE BRATS


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T H E L I T T L E B O O K O F B R E A K S

Rearranging the letters of Monsieur Eric Cantona gives:

I RUIN A SOCCER TEAM? NON!

PUZZLES - AMAZING ANAGRAMS SPORT

Rearranging the letters of Jayne Torvill and Christopher Dean gives:

JOINTLY DANCE TO RAVEL. SPIN HER HARD!

Rearranging the letters of George Best gives:

GO GET BEERS!

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T H E L I T T L E B O O K O F B R E A K S

Rearranging the letters of Footballer Michael Owen gives

PUZZLES - AMAZING ANAGRAMS SPORT

AMENABLE FELLOW ... RICH TOO!

Rearranging the letters of The England football team gives:

DEFT BALL-GAME TALENT? OH NO!

Rearranging the letters of The English cricket team gives:

LIKE CHEERING TEST MATCH?


Rearranging the letters of The Wimbledon Championships gives:

POSH TIM HENMAN CHIPS LOB WIDE.

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T H E L I T T L E B O O K O F B R E A K S

PUZZLES - AMAZING ANAGRAMS PLACE NAMES

Rearranging the letters of London Victoria Station gives:

TRAIN CONDITION: VAST LOO

Rearranging the letters of Windsor Castle gives:

ENTAILS CROWDS.

Rearranging the letters of London Bridge gives:

OLD OR BENDING.

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T H E L I T T L E B O O K O F B R E A K S

Rearranging the letters of Liverpool Street Station gives:

PUZZLES - AMAZING ANAGRAMS PLACE NAMES

OLE! TRAINSPOTTERS LOVE IT!

Rearranging the letters of The Isle of Man gives:

FINE HOTELS, MA!

Rearranging the letters of United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland gives:

DARK MINED-OUT LAND OF REIGNING THRONE AND BITTER RAIN.

Rearranging the letters of Cambridge University gives:

IM STUDYING BEER, VICAR.

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T H E L I T T L E B O O K O F B R E A K S

Take a tour of some riddles and illusions to accompany your Kit Kat on the next few pages . . .

What driver doesnt have a licence? A Screwdriver What has a neck, but no head? A Bottle What kind of can never needs a can opener? A Pelican How do you avoid falling hair? Move out the way Why did the doctor switch jobs? He lost his patients Why did the tree see the dentist? To get a root canal What kind of jokes did Einstein make? Wisecracks

PUZZLES - RIDICULOUS RIDDLES


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T H E L I T T L E B O O K O F B R E A K S

What always goes to bed with shoes on? A Horse

PUZZLES - RIDICULOUS RIDDLES

What is the first thing you do every morning? Wake up What kind of clothes do lawyers wear? Lawsuits What animal breaks the law? A Cheetah

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T H E L I T T L E B O O K O F B R E A K S

Can you see a diamond shape?

PUZZLES - IRRITATING ILLUSIONS

Are the dots black or white?

Are the horizontal lines parallel or curved?

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T H E L I T T L E B O O K O F B R E A K S

PUZZLES - IRRITATING ILLUSIONS

Do you see shapes or a word?

Two faces or a chalice?

Are these lines the same length?

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T H E L I T T L E B O O K O F B R E A K S

Youll wonder how you ever got along without these facts!

I am. is the shortest complete sentence in the English language. The longest recorded flight of a chicken is thirteen seconds. The Hawaiian alphabet has 12 letters.

AMAZING FACTS - TRIFFIC TRIVIA

A broken clock is right twice a day. The shortest war in history was between Zanzibar and England in 1896. Zanzibar surrendered after 38 minutes.

A piece of paper cant be folded in half more than seven times, regardless of its size.

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T H E L I T T L E B O O K O F B R E A K S

You burn more calories sleeping than you do watching TV.

AMAZING FACTS - TRIFFIC TRIVIA

A jumbo jets wingspan is longer than the Wright brothers first flight. The electric chair was invented by a dentist. Most dust particles consist of dead skin. The phrase rule of thumb comes from an old English law that you couldnt beat your wife with anything wider than your thumb.

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T H E L I T T L E B O O K O F B R E A K S

A human being is an amazing machine (well it invented the Kit Kat, after all!). Here are some surprising facts about us:

Our brains have about 100 billion nerve cells. Blood travels 60,000 miles (96,540 km) per day through our bodies.

AMAZING FACTS - HYPER HUMAN

Its impossible to sneeze with your eyes open. We use 72 different muscles to speak. A cough comes out of your mouth at 60 miles (96.5 km) per hour. We blink about 6,205,000 times each year. Our ears and nose continue to grow throughout our lives.

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T H E L I T T L E B O O K O F B R E A K S

15 million blood cells are destroyed in our bodies every second. Our hearts, on average, pump 48 million gallons of blood during our lifetime. Each square inch (2.5 cm) of our skin consists of 20 feet (6 m) of blood vessels. We breathe more than 20,000 times a day. We walk, on average, the equivalent of five times around the equator during our lifetime.

AMAZING FACTS - HYPER HUMAN


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T H E L I T T L E B O O K O F B R E A K S

When youve finished chewing on your Kit Kat, chew on these amazing facts!

IBMs ASCI White supercomputer, the fastest computer in the world, weighs as much as 17 elephants and can do in one second what a calculator would take 10 million years to do. The energy in one hurricane is equal to about 500,000 atomic bombs. There are more than 50,000 earthquakes throughout the world every year. The opposite sides of a dice cube always add up to seven. An average size iceberg weighs 20,000 tons. The largest icebergs weigh millions of tons.

AMAZING FACTS - SUPER SCIENCE


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T H E L I T T L E B O O K O F B R E A K S

AMAZING FACTS - SUPER SCIENCE

A lump of pure gold the size of a matchbox can be flattened into a sheet the size of a tennis court.

The worlds termites outweigh the worlds humans 10 to 1.

Mercury is the only metal that is liquid at room temperature.

A jiffy is an actual unit of time for 1/100th of a second. Thus the saying, I will be there in a jiffy.

The microwave was invented after a researcher walked by a radar tube and a chocolate bar melted in his pocket.

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T H E L I T T L E B O O K O F B R E A K S

Why not spend your break surfing the net? When youve checked out the fun at www.kitkat.co.uk, heres a selection of sites to visit while enjoying your Kit Kat.

www.anagramgenius.com
Contains a fun and free service that will generate anagrams from someones name and e-mail them to that person.

15 MINUTE EXPERT - INTERNET EXPERT

www.jigsawland.com
Hundreds of jigsaw puzzles you can do online.

www.classicgaming.com/vault
This site is packed with all the old classic arcade and computer games. Turn back the clock a few years and have a game of Asteroids!

www.hsx.com
The Hollywood Stock Exchange a free virtual stock market where you buy and sell shares of your favourite movies, rock groups and Hollywood stars. As their popularity increases, so does the value of your portfolio.

www.mensa.org
Feeling clever? If you have 30 minutes to spare, see how you get on with this brainy challenge.

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T H E L I T T L E B O O K O F B R E A K S

www.ichef.com
If you fancy cooking up something exotic this site has recipes from around the world, as well as being an excellent reference source. Or create your own online cookbook.

15 MINUTE EXPERT - INTERNET EXPERT

www.empireonline.co.uk
This site is perfect for finding out what films are being shown in the UK. There is also information on future releases.

www.howstuffworks.com
Want to learn something useful in your break (such as how chocolate is made)? Look no further than this site.

www.rinkworks.com/dialect/
The Dialectizer translates text or web pages into various funny dialects. Just type in the web address of your favourite site and see it presented in Cockney or other dialects!
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T H E L I T T L E B O O K O F B R E A K S

These are the top 10 dos and donts for flirting like an expert.

Do . . .
1. Smile. Maintain eye contact. Use the persons name. Be generous in your praise for their clothes, hair, opinions etc. Encourage them to tell you about themselves. Relax in their company; regard them as old friends. Find mutual connections in the people you know or the lives you lead. Gently tease the conversation towards romance without being direct. Read their body language. Show that you appreciate a Kit Kat.

15 MINUTE EXPERT - FLIRT LIKE AN EXPERT


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2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10.

T H E L I T T L E B O O K O F B R E A K S

Dont . . .
1. 2. Let rejection get you down. Learn from it and move on. Give too much away about yourself immediately. Learn the attractiveness of being enigmatic. Cling or appear needy. Fidget or look awkward. Wait for things to happen. Make them happen. Think about how well youre doing. Just be natural. Forget to be a good listener. Drink too much. Aim too high go for people you think will be attracted to you. Eat your Kit Kat in front of someone you fancy without offering to share it!

15 MINUTE EXPERT - FLIRT LIKE AN EXPERT

3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10.

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T H E L I T T L E B O O K O F B R E A K S

Theres nothing more annoying than reaching into an empty pocket and realising youve forgotten to buy a Kit Kat on the way to work. Our brains are like computers we have a limited amount of short term memory (RAM) but the information will quickly vanish unless we save it to our long term memory (hard disk). The knack is to get the information onto that hard disk in the brain before we lose it. Here are some tips on improving your memory in 15 minutes so that this problem can be avoided in future.
1. Concentration. Half of the information coming into our brains is lost immediately due to distractions around you. Concentrating only on one thing will enable more of the information to be retained. 2. Repetition. Some people believe that a fact needs to be repeated seven times in order for it to enter long term memory. 3. Association. Try to relate information to other relevant facts. Grouping information together strengthens the memory process. 4. Pictures. Try to think in terms of pictures, rather than words. The brain remembers images more easily than language, so picture that red and white Kit Kat in your mind so that you dont forget to buy it.

15 MINUTE EXPERT - THE THINK TANK


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T H E L I T T L E B O O K O F B R E A K S

5. Connections. If you need to remember lists of things, e.g. the sequence of roads to your destination, try to visualise the way in which each road connects to the next one. 6. Music. We use a different part of the brain to remember music, so taking your favourite tune and singing the words to something you need to remember can be a fast way to get it into your long term memory. 7. Understanding. Its hard to remember something you dont understand. Concentrate on understanding it first, and the memorising will happen more easily. 8. Mnemonics. Some kinds of information are suited to this technique. The most popular method is to take the first letter of each word in a list of things to be learned and to create a new word or sentence from those letters. 9. Colour. Use colour to emphasise different kinds of information e.g. when making revision notes. 10. Summarize . You dont need to learn a whole page of information word for word. Extract the basic facts and learn just those.

15 MINUTE EXPERT - THE THINK TANK


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T H E L I T T L E B O O K O F B R E A K S

Dont panic when things go wrong! Things will work out fine in the end if you use these top ten chill-out tips.

RELAXATION TECHNIQUES - HOW TO CHILL-OUT


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1. Sit down and treat yourself to a Kit Kat. 2. Smile. Force it if you have to. Moving the facial muscles into a smile makes you feel better. 3. Control your breathing (see next chapter). 4. Remind yourself that this day will pass. Tomorrow will be a fresh opportunity to make things go right. 5. Write a list of all that is good about your life. Concentrate on it. Think about it and nothing else for 15 minutes. 6. Share the burden of the stress with someone or visit a friend who makes you feel good. Talk it through, and suddenly it wont weigh so heavily on your shoulders.

T H E L I T T L E B O O K O F B R E A K S

7. Laugh. Watch a comedy programme or treat yourself to a video of your favourite comedian. Laughter relaxes tense muscles. 8. Close your eyes and sit in silence for 15 minutes, imagining yourself on a warm beach with the water lapping at your toes. Or use the meditation techniques in this book. 9. Listen to music for 15 minutes, preferably through headphones so that nothing else can distract you. 10. Talk to yourself in a reassuring way.

RELAXATION TECHNIQUES - HOW TO CHILL-OUT


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T H E L I T T L E B O O K O F B R E A K S

Breathing control is fundamental to achieving inner calm. It doesnt take long and can be done anywhere. Learn these techniques whilst eating your Kit Kat, then practise them on your next break. 1. Sit or lie in a comfy position and practise complete stillness. Start to become aware of your natural incoming and outgoing breath. 2. Dont interfere with the natural rhythm of your breathing, but become increasingly more conscious, letting yourself relax into its continual ebb and flow. 3. Come closer to your breath (better you than anyone else), keeping awareness of every inhalation and exhalation, and begin to say mentally I am aware I am breathing in, I am aware I am breathing out. 4. Feel the breath flowing in and out of the nose youll notice the breath is cool as it enters the nostrils and warm as it flows out.

RELAXATION TECHNIQUES - BREATHING


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T H E L I T T L E B O O K O F B R E A K S

5. Bring awareness to the throat and feel the breath flowing down the throat. 6. Next bring the awareness to the chest and feel the breath flowing through the trachea and bronchial tubes. 7. Feel the breath flowing through the lungs, followed by the rib cage and then the abdomen, observing expansion and relaxation of each area. 8. Finally, become aware of the whole breathing process from the nostrils to the abdomen before opening your eyes.

RELAXATION TECHNIQUES - BREATHING


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T H E L I T T L E B O O K O F B R E A K S

Meditation is known to have positive health benefits. It can improve energy levels, help promote sleep and can even slow down the aging process. Try these simple steps to get the best out of your break.

RELAXATION TECHNIQUES - HOW TO MEDITATE


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1. Find a quiet, comfy place. Sit in a chair or on the floor with your head, neck and back straight. Clear your mind of thoughts of the day (and chocolate) and try to stay in the present. 2. Become aware of your breathing and the air moving in and out of your body (from your mouth!) as you breathe. Feel your tummy rise and fall, and the air going in your nostrils and out of your mouth. 3. Watch every thought come and go. When thoughts enter your head, dont suppress them, but note them, remain calm and concentrate on your breathing.

T H E L I T T L E B O O K O F B R E A K S

4. If you suddenly get carried away in your thoughts, think about where your mind wandered off to, without judging, then return to your breathing. Dont be hard on yourself if your mind wanders. 5. As youre coming to the end of your meditation, sit for a minute or two, becoming aware of where you are, and then get up gradually.

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RELAXATION TECHNIQUES - TIPS ON GETTING TO SLEEP


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The biggest break of the day comes at bedtime. If you have trouble getting to sleep, try some of these common sense tips: 1. Its essential that you allow time for your mind and body to wind down, so try a relaxing activity but not vigorous exercise before bedtime like taking a hot bath, having a massage or listening to some music. 2. If youre having trouble sleeping, dont thrash about in bed. Get up and do something until youre fighting off sleep, then go back to bed. Repeat the process if necessary. 3. Sleep for as long as your body needs. To determine how much sleep your body needs, simply check to see how much you need to feel rested and alert the next day, and adjust accordingly. 4. Our bodies love routine, so try to follow a regular bed and wake up time. Even if you stay up late, try to drag yourself out of bed at the same time each morning, to help get back into a healthy sleep pattern. 5. Avoid or reduce your intake of caffeine, alcohol and cigarettes. A few glasses of your favourite tipple may help send you off into oblivion, but it contributes to poor quality sleep and frequent wake-ups.

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6. Eat light, and include protein in your meal to avoid night time hunger pangs. If you have a Kit Kat before going to bed, try doing so an hour or two before you turn in. 7. Exercise regularly and at the right time. Late afternoon and early evening is better than morning or late evening, however, its said that some forms of late night exercise can aid relaxation and improve sleep! 8. Eliminate distracting noises. Close doors and windows if necessary (although a supply of fresh air can help improve the quality of sleep). 9. Dont count sheep count your breaths. Breathe slowly and deeply, and concentrate on counting these breaths. 10. Close your eyes. It sounds obvious, but not everyone does this and then they wonder why theyre not sleeping!

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The Basics of Yoga Unify your mind, body and breath with this simple, popular movement, The Tree (Vrksasana). (It may be a good idea to find a quiet spot, away from prying eyes, or they may think youve gone mad!)

1. Start by fixing your gaze at a point in the room or on the wall ahead of you at eye height, and continue to fix your gaze at that point. 2. Bring your hands together into the prayer position, keeping the position at chest height. 3. Keeping your gaze fixed and your hands in prayer, slowly lift one foot off the ground and rest it on the opposite calf. If this isnt comfy or you find youre losing your balance, then move your foot down to the ankle. This movement helps strengthen the whole leg.

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4. Notice your mind coming right into the present this really helps with the balance. 5. Hold the position for as long as possible (usually for as long as you can keep your balance). 6. Repeat the sequence by balancing on the other leg for as long as you can without overdoing it or toppling over.

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Exercises dont all involve running around and sweating into a brightly coloured tracksuit. There is much you can do to tone your body from the comfort of your chair whilst watching television or sitting at your desk at work (but use a static rather than a swivel chair).

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Never exercise without warming up and stretching first. If you suffer from any medical conditions, consult your doctor before beginning an exercise programme. 1. Seated leg extension. Repeatedly raise and lower your legs slowly, keeping them as straight as you can. Repeat 5 times. As your strength builds over time, try adding weights to your feet to increase the effort level required. If you dont have proper ankle weights available, try just balancing a book or two. 2. Inner thigh squeeze. Place a large ball between your knees (a football or beachball is ideal). Gently squeeze your knees together, then release. Repeat five times. 3. Outer thigh. Wrap a stretchy band around both your legs at the knee and gently pull your legs apart and

T H E L I T T L E B O O K O F B R E A K S

then back together (dont let them snap back suddenly keep it under control). Repeat five times. 4. Bicep curls. Using hand weights (or books), raise your hands to shoulder level and lower back to waist level again. Repeat five times. 5. Seated bench press. Crouch off the edge of your chair with your hands behind you on the seat. Keeping your back straight and close to the edge of the chair, lower yourself down, taking the weight on your arms, and then raise yourself back up again. Repeat five times.

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Copyright Summersdale Publishers Ltd 2003 Illustrations by Kate Taylor All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced by any means, nor transmitted, nor translated into a machine language, without the written permission of the publisher. Summersdale Publishers Ltd 46 West Street Chichester West Sussex PO19 1RP UK www.summersdale.com ISBN 1 84024 151 9 Acknowledgements Emma Burgess, Peter Jeffcock, Alastair Williams, Olivia Edward, Rob Tobin, Stewart Ferris, Stuart McLean, Charlotte Williams, Amy Charter, Jenny Humphreys. For the anagrams: William Tunstall-Pedoe, Scott Clements, David A. Green, Steve Datson, Kevin Hale, David Bourke, Jaybur, Will Thomas, Ivor Hutchinson, Mick Tully, Mike Mesterton-Gibbons, Joe Fathallah, Nigel Hunton-Carsouls. Important Note Every effort has been made to make this book as accurate as possible. The authors and publishers shall have neither responsibility nor liability to any person or entity with respect to any loss or damage arising from information contained in this book. Kit Kat is a registered trade mark of Socit des Produits Nestl S.A., 1800 Vevey, Switzerland. 2003 Socit des Produits Nestl S.A. Vevey, Switzerland. Trade Mark Owners.

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