Annotated Bib -egyqueen

References

Fritz, C., Ellis, A. M., Demsky, C. A., Lin, B. C., & Guros, F. (2013). Embracing work breaks. Organizational Dynamics, 42(4), 274-280.

Background: This study provided some rebuttal arguments and overall how to recover from work stress by taking a healthy break. 

How I used it: I used this to discuss the critics of taking breaks and how they are wrong. This was also used to go in depth about the psychology of taking a break and how it really helps the brain recharge. 

Kohll, A. (2018). This is how working lunches are making you bad at your job. World Economic Forum

Background: This article emphasizes the importance of taking a wellness break, not just a lunch break. It talks about the different benefits that taking a break has on your body and brain. It also provides stats and how to overall increase your productivity. 

How I used it: I used this source to provide stats which I believe are crucial in making a point. It was also used to make the point of showing how little people believe in the effectiveness of taking a break. This also provided some information on how Americans would rather overwork themselves than be perceived as lazy by their peers or boss. 

Kühnel, J., Zacher, H., De Bloom, J., & Bledow, R. (2017). Take a break! Benefits of sleep and short breaks for daily work engagement. European Journal of Work and Organizational Psychology, 26(4), 481-491.

Background- A daily diary study conducted by 107 employees who provide data twice a day and it was found that sleep quality and shorter breaks are indeed beneficial to a worker and the importance of exercise. 

How I used it: I used this to compare it to Kohl’s study and add onto it. 

Pendem, P., Green, P., Staats, B. R., & Gino, F. (2016). The Microstructure of Work: How Unexpected Breaks Let You Rest, but Not Lose Focus. Harvard Business School NOM Unit Working Paper, (17-058).

Background- A study done to conduct whether expected or unexpected breaks are better. This study uses productivity data from 212 fruit harvesters. 

How I used it- this study was used to further go into details about critics of breaks and how breaks help our memory impairment. 

Randolph, S. A. (2016). The importance of employee breaks. Workplace health & safety, 64(7), 344-344.

Background- human fatigue controls, measurements, exposure, risks, etc. 

How I used it- I used this source to compare how driving for a long period of time and taking breaks while driving decreases accidents. Same way it would when you are working or studying. 

Scholz, A., Wendsche, J., Ghadiri, A., Singh, U., Peters, T., & Schneider, S. (2019). Methods in Experimental Work Break Research: A Scoping Review. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 16(20), 3844.

Background- this is a total of 93 studies conducted on the experiment of work breaks over the last 30 years. 

How I used it: I used this to prove that meditation or prayer can help productivity rather than sitting at a desk all day. Also used to mention that breaks also include vacations or days off. 

 (2005) in The Blackwell Guide to Philosophy of Law and Legal Theory, eds Edmundson W, Golding M (Blackwell, Oxford), pp 50–66.

Background- This study proves that Judges’ decisions are not always solely made based on the law. There are other factors that go into the decision such as fatigue. 

How I used it- I used this study in my definition paper to also prove that a judge is more likely to rule in the defendant’s best interest at the beginning of the day rather than later when they have heard hundreds of cases. 

Bainbridge, L. 1984. Diagnostic skills in process operation.. Proceedings of the 1984 International Conference on Occupational Ergonomics, 2: 1–10

Background- two studies are done to conclude the effects of taking a break from a mental or physical job. 

How I used it- I used this study to discuss how more frequent breaks lead to a better performance and how the prefrontal cortex plays a role in productivity in my definition paper. 

Dababneh, Awwad J., Naomi Swanson, and Richard L. Shell. “Impact of added rest breaks on the productivity and well being of workers.” Ergonomics 44.2 (2001): 164-

Background- A group of 30 workers in a meat processing- plant were given two test break schedules to determine which is more efficient. 

How I used it- I used this study to align mental health, breaks, and productivity. 

174.Paulus, Paul B., et al. “Effects of task instructions and brief breaks on brainstorming.” Group Dynamics: Theory, Research, and Practice 10.3 (2006): 206.

Background- The effects of extra brainstorming and taking breaks. 

 How I used it: I used this in my Causal argument to discuss how stress can affect performance.

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Definition- egyqueen

Breaks and Productivity Sitting down for hours to complete a project is an extremely difficult task for many people. People are likely to wander off after a certain amount of time spent working on the same topic. breaks are usually looked down upon and can be used to argue time management problems. It is typical of students to get side tracked while taking a break. Going on your phone is an extremely dangerous thing to do when you are avoiding distractions. If you are taking a 9 minute break for every 51 minutes you spent studying, you are essentially wasting 9 minutes that you could have spent studying. Is it really considered wasting time though? Kenneth T. Strongman and Christopher D.B. Burt, conducted two studies to examine the difference between taking breaks from physical and mental labor. Participants were quick to name more reasons for taking short breaks from mental work rather than physical work. It seems that participants believed there is more leeway when it comes to mental work whereas physical work is often assigned by an employer. Results showed that general reasons for taking breaks fall into three categories such as one’s own state and needings, things to do with activity such as walking, talking, etc.); or, lastly, things to do for other people. Results of the study also concluded that taking more breaks can lead to a better academic performance and those of higher academic success are prompted to take shorter and more frequent breaks. The article emphasizes the importance of perseverance when it comes to trying these methods. It is much more painless to in the moment to extend your break, but that will only hurt you later. A famous study conducted by Shai Danziger, Jonathan Levav, and Liora Avnaim- Pesso examined the factors that go into judicial rulings. “Are judicial rulings based solely on laws and facts?” is the main question being answered in the study. The results of the study conclude that there are factors influencing judges’ decisions that should have no bearing. Judges were found to be more likely to agree to a favorable ruling at the very beginning of the day or right after a food break. The probability of a favorable ruling decreases as the day goes by and increases right after break. The study is unable to detect whether a break in general helped their moods since it did not measure their moods and breaks were strictly taken to eat a meal. According to author S.J. Scott, “the need to make frequent decisions throughout your day can wear down your willpower and reasoning ability.” Scott used this study to point out that “decision fatigue” is real and “leads to simplistic decision-making and procrastination.” In other words, the judges were taking the safest and easiest option by saying no. Saying no does not involve much thinking or paperwork. It is crucial to understand the difference between interruptions and breaks. Interruptions are unplanned moments where you are forced to pause your task. During a break you choose the perfect time to take a break which led to solving more insight problems. In conclusion, constant sitting at your desk or computer increases your risk of heart disease, diabetes, depression, and obesity. A small break to walk or stretch can be beneficial from the side effects. According to author Nir Eyal, “When we work, our prefrontal cortex makes every effort to help us execute our goals. But for a challenging task that requires our sustained attention, research shows briefly taking our minds off the goal can renew and strengthen motivation later on.” It is necessary to get your brain thinking about other things in order to have a fresh set of eyes when resuming your work. Working for a long period of time is known to lead to exhaustion. Not just physical exhaustion, but mental as well. Sleep is known to help rest our brain and consolidate memories. Sleep assists our brain in memorizing and learning new material, but evidence shows resting while awake improves memory formation as well.

https://www.pnas.org/content/108/17/6889

https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/pdf/10.1080/00223980009600864?needAccess=true

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Research Paper -egyqueen

Rest Breaks in Increasing Productivity

Many employees struggle with putting up their best performance at work. A study conducted by the World Economic Forum indicates that over two-thirds of American workers have experienced work-related stress at some point in their working careers (Kohll, 2018). Despite this, many of them continue to take on more projects and rarely take off time from their desks.  The study indicates that nearly 20% of workers in America believe that their employers will not see them as hardworking if they insist on taking regular breaks (Kohll, 2018). The study further indicates that 38% of the workers are not encouraged to take regular breaks between shifts (Kohll, 2018). For centuries, most Americans have viewed work breaks negatively as a sign of a lack of hard work.  While perceptions towards breaks have significantly changed over the last few decades, there remain concerns about their effects on productivity. Some argue that periodic work breaks help to increase productivity, while others argue that breaks are unnecessary interruptions at the workplace. This paper posits that work breaks are critical in increasing productivity at the workplace. The paper starts by defining work-breaks and then proceeds to review arguments against and for the inclusion of breaks at the workplace to increase productivity.

Breaks vary in form and shape depending on duration and nature. Some of the common types of work breaks include days of work, vacations, or breaks in between tasks during the day (Scholz et al., 2019). The underlying characteristic of these breaks is that they provide employees with an opportunity to step out of work and concentrate on other affairs. Normally, employers are legally mandated to ensure that they have a policy allowing workers paid leaves at least once in a year. Controversy, however, remains regarding breaks in between tasks during the day. This paper will, therefore, focus specifically on breaks that occur between tasks daily. 

Opponents of work-breaks in between tasks argue that breaks act as a distraction and hence reduce productivity. Fritz et al. (2013) indicate that transition from a break to work hampers a worker’s ability to focus and concentrate on specific tasks. The argument is that it’s much better to focus on completing a task rather than having to take regular breaks. When one removes their attention from a task, they require a significant time to come back where they left off and create similar thought patterns as before. The argument is that breaks contribute to a reduction in productivity as people are unable to concentrate on the most important task. Randolph  (2016) further argues that breaks in between tasks may result in memory impairment. Breaks often expose an individual to multiple events and ideas outside their line of work. These ideas tend to over-stimulate the brain functions and inundate an individual with too much information at one point. The results are reduced productivity compared to if an individual was able to focus on a specific task over a long period. The third argument used against the use of regular work-breaks is the cost implications. Critics of breaks argue that they put a massive dent on organization productivity since a sizable amount of time is spent on breaks than on productive activities. 

Despite claims of breaks affecting productivity, several arguments have been raised, demonstrating the effectiveness of work-breaks in increasing productivity. One of the biggest arguments that have been raised advocating for work breaks is in improving brain functioning.  Traditionally, human beings have a short concentration span. Gilbert et al. (2017) indicate that concentrating on a single task for a long period often leads to a drop in production levels. Scholz et al. (2019), recommends regular deactivation and reactivation goals to stay focused on a specific task. When faced with large monotonous tasks, it’s more advisable to divide the tasks into short iterations with breaks in between. These breaks are integral in maintaining concentration at peak levels.

Breaks also have a critical role in allowing the brain to process information. According to Kühnel et al. (2017), a short break between tasks allows an individual time to process information with a greater level of focus compared to when they have to deal with numerous information on the fly. Fritz et al. (2013) indicate that the period between tasks is no wastage of time as perceived by many, but rather the brain is still working to process the information gleaned while working on tasks. Processing information also plays a role in forming connections between bits of information and specific objects when allowed additional time to internalize events. At the same time, they have a better ability to form connections about issues, unlike when leading with loads of information at a go. 

Breaks are also critical in consolidating memories and increasing an individual’s ability to learn from their immediate environment (Randolph, 2016). There is tons of evidence suggesting that improved sleep quality helps improve an individual’s memory. In the same vein, resting while awake also helps to improve memory. This period allows the brain time to review information and ingrain it into one’s memory. Overall, downtimes play a critical role in replenishing the brain’s store of attention and motivation. To achieve optimal levels of productivity, one must, therefore, ensure that they are well-rested before embarking on a task. These moments of respite from arduous and monotonous tasks are critical in keeping an individual’s mental faculties in the best conditions.

Breaks are also critical in enhancing creativity within the work environment. Fritz et al. (2013) suggest that taking time to reflect on tasks leads to increased imagination about the various ways the task can be performed. Fritz et al. (2013) note that many employees use breaks as an opportunity to think about the issues they encountered while working. This opportunity for reflection allows one to see the bigger picture of the various processes they undertake and their possible results. This period of reflection may lead to eureka moments where the actors devise methods that are more appropriate and necessary for more productivity (Fritz et al., 2013).

Several studies have shown that how minds tend to solve some of the most challenging problems while daydreaming. Most often, breakthroughs often come out of moments when we are least aware of ourselves or the environment (Pendem et al., 2016). In some instances, extreme focus on a situation may end up blocking our imaginative faculties.   Sometimes are little detachment from the real environment may provide us with meaningful insights about approaching challenging tasks. Breaks not only invoke creative potentials through sparking imagination but also focusing on reevaluating goals. Most often, when people are faced with difficult or seemingly impossible tasks, it is because they have not properly defined their goals. A moment of respite when performing a task may allow an employee time to reevaluate their objectives and devise more appropriate ways of dealing with a particular task. Overall, creative employees are more productive than uncreative employees since they can accomplish more with minimal resources.

Regular breaks between tasks are also critical for developing healthy habits such as exercise and eating. Normally, short-breaks between tasks are usually used for various tasks such a meditation, lunch or snack breaks, or taking a walk around the office premises or the surrounding environment (Pendem et al., 2016). These activities are all deemed to be very important in increasing concentration and productivity at work. Constant sitting at a desk may put an individual at high risk for diseases such as obesity, diabetes, depression, and other cardiovascular diseases. These types of disease may significantly hinder an employee’s productivity at the workplace. Allowing employees time away from their chairs provide them with time to walk, stretch, or yoga. These activities are highly effective in reducing the negative effects of continuous sitting.  Exercising also increases brain health and thinking abilities, especially for older employees. When exercising, more blood is pumped throughout the body, and thus a person who exercises regularly is more active than one who sits on their desks for a prolonged amount of time without breaks (Kühnel, 2017). A study by citation also indicates that a little movement may help to combat lethargy and build a more active mood. Enhanced moods will eventually lead employees to perform more effectively.

Aside from exercising, breaks also allow employees to develop other useful activities such as eating healthy and meditation. A study by the World Economic Forum indicates that one in three workers in America does not take a lunch break (Kohll, 2018). Most regular workers, especially in low-income jobs, opt to skip lunch and snacks breaks. While from the outset, this may seem like a show of commitment, the employees often end up performing less effectively due to lack of energy. A short snack break between tasks can provide employees with the energy required to complete tasks. Breaks are also important to engage in spiritual activities such as meditation and prayers. Numerous studies have shown the importance of spiritual awareness in increasing productivity. Employees who have just completed a prayer or meditation are likely to be more productive than those who remain glued to one particular task for long periods (Scholz et al., 2019). Regular breaks from screen times may also help in deterring computer vision syndrome, which is one of the emerging diseases related to the workplace. Overall, breaks help employees to lead healthier and more productive lifestyles. When employees are healthier, they are bound to be more productive when executing their respective tasks within the organization.

Researchers have also focused significantly on the impact of rest on reducing fatigue at the workplace. Most often, employees who perform repetitive work end up being fatigued after spending a substantial amount of time working. Gilbert et al. (2017) suggest that frequent routine decision-making throughout the day can wear out workers’ willpower and cognitive ability.  Breaks in between tasks are necessary for eliminating fatigue and tiredness resulting from repetitive actions.  Pendem et al. (2016), notes that judges were more likely to offer favorable rulings to offenders in the morning sessions with a probability of 0.65. As the sessions drift away, the judges tend to give less favorable rulings. However, after coming from breaks, the judges had a probability of 0.65 to give favorable rulings to offenders. Overall, these findings play a critical role in determining the quality of decisions made by employees. However, with regular periodic breaks, employees can avoid making simplistic decision-making.

Fatigue not only affects the quality of the decision made by employees but also increases the risk of accidents, especially for industrial works. Several research studies have been focusing on examining the effects of rest breaks on productivity and error rates. A majority of studies examining the effects of rest breaks on accident occurrence have been based on driving and flight simulations. These studies have inferred a strong relationship between regular rest breaks and driving performance. Phillips et al. (2017) indicate that drivers who time their rest breaks to coincide with the incidence of fatigue are bound to be more careful compared to those who drive for long periods with little or no rest. While research indicates the effectiveness of rest in eliminating fatigue, there are caveats to the findings. The activity undertaken during breaks was also critical predictors of the effectiveness of the break. For instance, drivers who take naps, food, or caffeine during breaks are much more alert compared to those who only took a short break. Despite the caveats, the bigger picture is that rest breaks help to eliminate workers’ fatigue in the workplace. Reduced fatigue is consequently important in increasing worker alertness and reducing incidences of errors and mistakes.

Rest breaks during the day are also necessary for eliminating boredom at the workplace and increasing engagement.  A survey on European workers by Kühnel et al. (2017), indicated that workers who received regular breaks were more likely to feel valued by their employers. When employees feel valued and appreciated by their employers, they are bound to be more creative and motivated to perform their tasks. According to Gilbert et al. (2017), when we work, our prefrontal cortex makes every effort to accomplish our intended goals. When working on challenging tasks, our brains require sustained attention. Taking short breaks between tasks helps in strengthening and renewing our motivations to perform the said tasks. Rest breaks not only help in increasing motivation to perform tasks but also provide an essential reprieve to focus on building social skills in the workplace. 

Most employees tend to coalesce around social cliques, where they discuss pressing issues concerning work. Sharing amongst employees creates a culture of togetherness and collaboration within the organization. Most often, they are other employees or coworkers who have undergone similar challenges when performing their duties and responsibilities. Sharing with them can open one’s mind about alternative resolutions for the problems. Employees are also more likely to support each other on tasks that require multidisciplinary attention. Rest breaks also allow employees to create social ties and friendships, which are essential for personal growth and development.  An environment with increased sharing and collaboration eliminates the formalness associated with workplaces. A study by Fritz et al. (2013), indicates that most prospective employee’s rate work-environment as one of the most important factors when choosing an employer.  Employees approach the workplace with an increased level of casualness. The result is increased employee welfare and overall mental wellbeing. Overall, employees that are satisfied with the community offered by their employers are bound to be more productive than those who feel burdened to work in a specific environment.

In conclusion, from the evidence shown above, rest breaks are essential aspects of maintaining employee productivity at the workplace. Rest breaks helps in enhancing workers cognitive ability by helping them to maintain high attention levels, process information, form connection between subjects, and boost memory. Rest breaks also assist employees in developing healthy habits such as exercising, snack breaks, and meditation, which have all been linked with improved productivity. This paper also reviews the evidence linking rest breaks with increased motivation, creativity, fatigue reduction, and injury elimination. Despite, these benefits organizations and business readers should approach rest breaks with extreme caution. Some researchers have linked rest breaks with lack of focus and concentration, especially when adjusting from the break to return to normal activities. When designing policy frameworks and guidelines, it is critical to take into consideration the timing of the breaks and the tasks performed by employees during the rest breaks. Overall, when implemented properly, breaks are bound to do an organization more good than harm.

References

Fritz, C., Ellis, A. M., Demsky, C. A., Lin, B. C., & Guros, F. (2013). Embracing work breaks. Organizational Dynamics, 42(4), 274-280.

Gilbert, E. K., Foulk, T. A., & Bono, J. E. (2017). Building positive psychological resources: The effects of mindfulness, work breaks, and positive reflection.

Kohll, A. (2018). This is how working lunches are making you bad at your job. World Economic Forum

Kühnel, J., Zacher, H., De Bloom, J., & Bledow, R. (2017). Take a break! Benefits of sleep and short breaks for daily work engagement. European Journal of Work and Organizational Psychology, 26(4), 481-491.

Pendem, P., Green, P., Staats, B. R., & Gino, F. (2016). The Microstructure of Work: How Unexpected Breaks Let You Rest, but Not Lose Focus. Harvard Business School NOM Unit Working Paper, (17-058).

Phillips, R. O., Kecklund, G., Anund, A., & Sallinen, M. (2017). Fatigue in transport: a review of exposure, risks, checks, and controls. Transport Reviews, 37(6), 742-766.

Randolph, S. A. (2016). The importance of employee breaks. Workplace health & safety, 64(7), 344-344.Scholz, A., Wendsche, J., Ghadiri, A., Singh, U., Peters, T., & Schneider, S. (2019). Methods in Experimental Work Break Research: A Scoping Review. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 16(20), 3844.

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Causal Argument -egyqueen

Different employees in America strive to increase their performance and stand out to be the best in the workplace. To meet different deadlines over time, they sacrifice most of their time working overtime, agreeing to take extra projects, and never taking a step away from work. In a real sense, the work-hard mentality is not effective. It is argued that not taking a break out of work will cause inefficiencies at work. Most companies that don’t offer breaks face employee inconsistencies in performance. The main cause of breaks is the fact that it will increase productivity. This study seeks to identify several reasons why breaks will substantially increase productivity.

First, lunch breaks and adding several other breaks will cause employees to be fresher and more focused on what they are doing. Work performance can be improved whenever employees have breaks. Adequate breaks from work, employee productivity, and mental wellbeing are aligned together (Dababneh, Swanson, and Shell 170). They are the most important issues that change how employees perform and thus improve performance. Employee breaks reduce work fatigue and too much pressure that might be available. Dealing with some projects might be very technical, and such needs employees to become more prepared to change the facts. The cause for alarm in reduced productivity is the main reason that employers need to start encouraging employees to take breaks in the course of their work. It is a vital approach that will improve performance.

Taking breaks causes improved mental wellbeing, and productivity is guaranteed. Stress is an incredibly common problem that influences most of the decisions that employees make while undertaking various work. Taking some time away from the workplace, like taking a walk and enjoying healthy lunch, helps to release some of the stress factors that employees might develop. Stress reduces performance significantly (Paulus et al. 206). Having a positive approach that points towards relieving the employee from stress can be attained through breaks. In North America, it has been proved that breaks are the best way to improve individuals’ mental well-being. For example, when a person is too much into thoughtful activities, they are encouraged to take a breakthrough nature walk and relieve such tension. The consequential causes of a stressed employee are a decline in performance.

Workplace breaks increase creativity among employees in a sense that causes increased productivity. Most organizations have relied on the creativity of their employees to be able to hit the competitive edge. The creativity of organizations is ruling the vast technological world. When employees are offered time to rest rather than being subjected to continuous work, they become more creative. Creativity is a unique development that develops new ways of doing things. The company can increase its alternatives to provide solutions because of the creativity of its employees. It is a positive approach that needs to detail some of the components that will influence most of their options and alternatives. A time out is a way to influence the employee to understand some of the complex projects they might be handled in one way or the other.

Breaks advocate healthy habits, which is a major cause of increased productivity. The human body needs time to rest from technical work. When the body is subjected to proper work habits, it would be easy for the employee to understand some important paths that might influence their self-care and improve their health. When employees get time to get some healthy food, they will become more productive. Regular breaks give employees time to do some exercises which are very healthy and would engage them to become more active in work. Also, they can have time to meditate and undertake self-care activities. Positive habits are important in the workplace that helps in engaging different options and would influence various issues that would help increase production.

Finally, it is evident that breaks cause an increase in productivity in the workplace. The employees will be in a position to influence a number of options and complete some defined options, such as helping their self-care development. It is mandatory for organizations to come up with a positive attitude that would encourage employee break. Lunchbreak is not enough for employees, especially those who work in technical departments such as engineering. Most employees consider the fact that they have been subjected to a lot of diverse alternatives, which will be responsible for changing employee performance (Dababneh, Swanson, and Shell 170). The ways in which different causes of improved production have been identified helps in changing how organizations operate. Breaks should be encouraged, and proper options did to influence some of the unique identifications and help make various alternatives appropriate. This study has identified important elements that are responsible for making sure to understand how breaks within the workplace caused improved productivity.

Dababneh, Awwad J., Naomi Swanson, and Richard L. Shell. “Impact of added rest breaks on the productivity and well being of workers.” Ergonomics 44.2 (2001): 164-

174.Paulus, Paul B., et al. “Effects of task instructions and brief breaks on brainstorming.” Group Dynamics: Theory, Research, and Practice 10.3 (2006): 206.

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Rebuttal Argument- egyqueen

Rebuttal Argument 

           In many cultures, breaks are not required to be taken by employees during work. Many employees are constantly striving to perform at their best, forcing them to work overtime and take on extra projects. This mentality is often brought by employers, mentors, and parents. Overworked employees are regularly stressed in ways that may affect their personal lives as well. We are constantly told to “work hard” to achieve the desired results, but could it be possible that “playing hard” can also deliver the desired results? 

            Breaks are perceived as a distraction and an unnecessary task in most workplaces. That may be true for those who are taking breaks the wrong way. You would be surprised to hear that there is indeed a right and wrong way to take breaks. It is important to note that not all breaks provide the same psychological benefits. Drinking caffeine, online shopping, venting to your coworkers, and mindlessly snacking could increase fatigue and decrease your focus when you return to work. It takes no effort or second thought for a person to endlessly scroll through social media and forget their 10 minute break. You may get instant gratification from doing so, but it only negatively affects you in the long run. It is essential to take the right break in order to maximize effectiveness. Working for a long period of time puts stress on our brain since we are constantly fighting the urge to take a break or pick up our phones. Like any other muscle, the brain deserves a break as well. 

         It is proven essential to take a 17 minute break every 52 minutes of work. Knowing that a beak is coming up, motivates you to stay focused and work with a purpose. It increases boredom and gives your body the chance to recharge and shift your focus to something else to decrease lack of focus. Scheduling your breaks and setting a clear intention for every break, is the best way to take full advantage of your downtime. Stopping for a break while you are still having fun also increases excitement and productivity when you return to work. 

          In an article that was written by Charlotte Fritz, Allison M. Ellis, and Caitlin A. Demsky. It emphasizes the importance of managers encouraging their employees to take a break. It is crucial for managers to acknowledge that employees may need different ways to recover from work as well as in their preferences for integrating work and non-work life. Creating workplaces with enough flexibility to allow employees to fulfill their needs with regard to work-life balance is crucial for employees’ job satisfaction and their commitment to the organization. “Supervisors Support of employees’ work-life balance is especially important. In the worst case, employees may even consider leaving an organization if their needs for recovery and work-life balance are not being met” (Fritz 279.) Employees who are not overworked and are cared for in this way, produce more success for the organization. Organizations who are providing healthy break environments also decrease the chance of the employee taking a “bad” break or wasting their time. Supervised breaks can be extremely beneficial to the total success of the organization. 

                  It has been long known to scientists that a human brain or body cannot function to produce maximum output for 8-10 hours a day. Although, this fact has been long known to scientists, employers still ignore it for the sole purpose of believing that it puts a dent in productivity and organization. Research proves that taking breaks actually enhances your overall productivity and performance. There’s also evidence that waking periods of mental rest can improve memory formation. During rest periods, your brain is subconsciously reviewing the information you have retained. Without rest, you run the risk of experiencing the old “in one ear, out the other” phenomenon. A psychology professor once told me that the best way to study and retain information is by spaced interval studying and self testing. Spacing out your studying is the key to also remember the information after you completed the assessment. 

            In conclusion, the “workaholic” culture does not produce the best outcome. It is essential for the human brain to take breaks in order to recharge. This boosts creativity, focus, productivity, etc. Giving your prefrontal cortex a break is a must to maintain productivity in the workplace or even between students. It is critical for employers to create guidelines for the breaks to minimize wasted time. 

https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/changepower/201704/how-do-work-breaks-help-your-brain-5-surprising-answers

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Self Reflective -egyqueen

Core Value 1. My work demonstrates that I used a variety of social and interactive practices that involve recursive stages of exploration, discovery, conceptualization, and development.

When I was first told about the assignment, I had a completely different topic in mind which was quickly shutdown by the professor. I struggled to find a topic that I would find interesting to write my paper about. After doing much research, I realized that this is a topic I was not familiar with and could personally help me become more productive. It was difficult for me to write a paper that was not all over the place, I believe the feedback on my definition argument assisted me in developing better work from there. 

Core Value 2. My work demonstrates that I read critically, and that I placed texts into conversation with one another to create meaning by synthesizing ideas from various discourse communities.

My Causal argument paper demonstrates that I read critically and that I placed texts into conversation because I was going back and forth providing evidence of the cause and effects. i used two studies to synthesize and use for this paper. Using different articles took a lot of synthesizing in order to make the paper flow correctly. It was difficult to not be repetitive throughout the different papers we had to write.

Core Value 3. My work demonstrates that I rhetorically analyzed the purpose, audience, and contexts of my own writing and other texts and visual arguments.

I rhetorically analyzed the purpose, audience, and context, by not only talking about productivity in the workplace, but in students’ lives as well. I tried to target different audiences since my topic can be beneficial to anyone. I used visual arguments by using everyday examples that many people can relate to. I emphasized the importance of taking a “good” break to help put in perspective that a person may not be productive due to the unhealthy breaks they take. 

Core Value 4: My work demonstrates that I have met the expectations of academic writing by locating, evaluating, and incorporating illustrations and evidence to support my own ideas and interpretations

I have done many research on this topic. Most of the points I made were backed up by different studies conducted by different psychologists. All work is my own and I provided citations for anything that was not my original thought. The studies I provided backup everything I have mentioned in my paper. 

Core Value 5. My work demonstrates that I respect my ethical responsibility to represent complex ideas fairly and to the sources of my information with appropriate citation.

Everything that i have cited, I also explained in my own words after providing the appropriate citation. Every paper I submitted has its references which were used to provide the correct information about the link of taking a break and productivity. 

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Reflective Statement

Core Value 1. My work demonstrates that I used a variety of social and interactive practices that involve recursive stages of exploration, discovery, conceptualization, and development.

Due to corona virus shared one of my essays with a friend of mine to pier review it for me. 

Core Value 2. My work demonstrates that I read critically, and that I placed texts into conversation with one another to create meaning by synthesizing ideas from various discourse communities. 

Yes, especially when I went into detail about a terror DMT trip

Core Value 3. My work demonstrates that I rhetorically analyzed the purpose, audience, and contexts of my own writing and other texts and visual arguments.

This semester I’ve really tried to come up with and picture an audience write my ideas out to them like a pitch.  

Core Value 4: My work demonstrates that I have met the expectations of academic writing by locating, evaluating, and incorporating illustrations and evidence to support my own ideas and interpretations.

I backed up just about anything factular in my research paper. 

Core Value 5. My work demonstrates that I respect my ethical responsibility to represent complex ideas fairly and to the sources of my information with appropriate citation. 

Yes it does I think that my topic for the research paper shows that I can represent complex ideas. 

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annotated bib

“Shrooms High: What Does It Feel Like and How Long It Lasts.” Addiction Resource, addictionresource.com/drugs/shrooms/shrooms-high/.

Background: this website has all the basic information you need to know about Shrooms

How I used it:  I used this site to find out the duration of a mushroom trip.   

“Lysergide (LSD) Drug Profile.” Lysergide (LSD) Drug Profile, 1 June 2018, www.emcdda.europa.eu/publications/drug-profiles/lsd 

Background: This site talks about the chemistry behind LDS

How I used it: I used it find the official chemical name of LSD and when LSD was Created

psychedsubstance. “How To End A Terror Trip Using ‘Trip Killers’ | Educational.” Youtube, 15 June 2019, www.youtube.com/watch?v=FNumchkj1XQ.

Background: This video talks about what trip killers are, what they do, and how to use them properly.  

How I used it: I used this to learn about how trip killers could be used for my business

History.com Editors. “LSD.” History.com, A&E Television Networks, 14 June 2017, www.history.com/topics/crime/history-of-lsd.

Background: this goes into the long history of LSD. 

How I used it: I used this to find when LSD was created and other little facts about its history

“Witches, Bread and LSD: How a Poisonous Mold May Have Caused Hallucinogenic Hysteria.” Hopes&Fears, 11 Jan. 2016, www.hopesandfears.com/hopes/now/drugs/216731-ergot-salem-witch-trials

Background: This goes into the potential story of how Mushrooms caused the Salem Witch Trials

How I used it: I used it to support the idea that mushrooms could have caused the salem witch trial. 

Psychedsubstance. “What a Bad DMT Trip Feel Like.” Youtube, 14 Mar. 2019, www.youtube.com/watch?v=0LdPKYJ0Kf4.

Background: He goes into detail about what could happen during a bad DMT trip.  What you could see or hear. What the build up feels like.  What you can do to try and help when your stuck in a terror trip.  

How I used it: I used this to describe what it can be like to be in a terrifying DMT trip.  

Psychedsubstance. “Testing Acid (LSD).” Youtube, 11 June 2016, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JQolfubmFSs. 

Background: He talks about how to test LSD and potential fake LSD chemicals

How I used this: I used this to talk how about the dangers of the copy cat LSD chemicals

Freeman, Shanna, and Nathan Chandler. “How LSD Works.” HowStuffWorks Science, HowStuffWorks, 27 Jan. 2020, science.howstuffworks.com/lsd2.htm

Background: Goes into the background of LSD, how it was created and what it does to the body

How I used this: I used this just as a way to support facts and other things that I had said in my paper

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Customer pitch revised

Mushroom Tourism 

Everyone at some point in their life has wondered about what LSD (Lysergic acid diethylamide) (acid), Psilocin Mushrooms (Magic Mushrooms), or DMT (N,N-Dimethyltryptamine) do to the mind.  If they were legal, thousands of people would travel just to try psychedelics in a legal and safe environment.  So that’s what I intend  on doing, I am making a tripping facility called Trip Sitters.  Trip Sitters is a company that gives you a safe and regulated environment to experience these drugs.  These drugs are relatively harmless if done right which isn’t hard to do.  As long as you are in a healthy state with a good mindset and a trusted individual is watching, you should be in the clear.  

There are four steps in making an appointment.  You must have a background check with a psychiatrist to ensure you’re mentally healthy enough. You must provide a doctor signed list of allergies to any medications, if any, to ensure that you may safely be dosed a trip kiler if needed. You must make your appointment a week in advance and really get your mind together. To help prepare yourself for your trip try meditation, listening to calming music, breathing exercises, and avoid any negativity.  If you have any small life problems such as a relationship issue please try and fix the problem before your trip as it can and likely will create unneeded stress which can induce a challenging trip.   We also encourage last minute cancellation with a small fee or free rescheduling because we find it very important that the customer has an opportunity to cancel if they are not in a good state and are emotionally ready.  These rules are inplace to help make sure that you have a positive, happy and safe trip.   Bad/scary trips are an important part of tripping too.  We do make you sign a wave before your trip to make sure that you are aware of the potential dangers/trama you could experience during a bad trip.  If properly prepared for you shouldn’t have a problem during your trip.   

 Your safety is our number one priority.  We want our trippers to be in a good mind set and make sure they’re in a good enough place to trip.  The Psychiatrist appointment is to ensure that you are emotionally stable and ready for the experience.  The use of these drugs is a serious thing. They are like a mini vacation that lasts for only a few hours, but those few hours can feel like days.  When you’re tripping you have no sense of time, 5 minutes can feel like 2 hours or 10 seconds.  

Bad trips are part of the experience and they are not meaningless, if anything a bad trip can be one of the most powerful trips you can have because everything that happens in a trip is happening in your mind.  So this means that any problems you are having in your trip are already in your mind without you knowing and it takes the destruction of the ego to reveal them.    Bad trips “can unlock a door and show us secretive aspects of our personality or psyche or things that we need to heal in our life” (Psychedsubstance, 1:46).  But if you find yourself in a nightmarish terror trip that you can’t handle, we have safe trip killers such as Lorazepam(Ativan) and Diazepam(Valium), both drugs classified as benzodiazepines.   These are drugs that are typically used for anxiety. Once a trip killer has been orally taken and rubbed on gums it will take a few hours to fully take effect, but typically anxiety and paranoia will be slowly revealed as soon as the drug is taken to to the fact that you know your trip will be over soon and everything is going to be okay.  Due to Benzodiazepines being very 

addictive they are only used in emergency situations and will not be used by anyone that has had an addiction to benzodiazepines or has an addictive personality.  You must sign an additional waver before your trip saying that you are okay with taking a trip killer, knowing that there is not much research on it and no scientific explanation behind why trip killers work.  

The facility will have a very comfortable feel with 5 tripping rooms with a sitter for each room. Your trip sitter is there to tend you while tripping, they can bring you water or a snack, play whatever music you’d like them to, get you things to enhance your trip like kaleidoscopes and psychedelic picture books. They can also get the on site Psychiatrists if you think you may need a trip killer or are concerned that you may need to go to the hospital.  Each room is equipped with a bean bag, an incredibly comfortable couch, a TV with access to hulu, netflix and youtube, a bluetooth speaker, blankets, one time use eye masks, and plenty of things to feast your eyes on such as colorful tapestry, artwork by Alex Grey and even an outside garden area to look at flowers and enjoy the outdoors.  Smoking both tobacco and marijuana is allowed but the mixing or psychedelics and alcohol is prohibited.  

We offer three different psychedelics, LSD, Mushroom, and DMT.  LSD being the most expensive because it is the longest and DMT being the cheapest.  LSD costs $620 per trip, it is $20 for the tab, $250 for the doctor, $100 to the sitter and $250 for using the facility.  Mushrooms cost $445, $60 for Mushrooms, $125 for the doctor, $60 for the tripsitter and $200 for using the facility.  DMT costs $175, $55 for the DMT itself, $50 for the doctor, $20 for the tripsitter and $50 for using the facility. Trip killers are not in the basic price because not everyone needs one, they cost an extra $75 but are covered by some insurances. Despite the cheapest option being DMT we do not allow people to try that their first time unless you have experimented with psychedelics before.  DMT is the most intense psychedelic experience one can have and is not for beginners.  You must have at least one other experience tripping before trying this drug.   

Trip Sitters brings an experience like no other.  The only place you can legally and safely explore your mind and see what it’s like is to live like the hippies of the 60’s.  Come explore and begin healing your mind with us.  Take a trip with Trip Sitters   

References

“Shrooms High: What Does It Feel Like and How Long It Lasts.” Addiction Resource, addictionresource.com/drugs/shrooms/shrooms-high/. 

“Lysergide (LSD) Drug Profile.” Lysergide (LSD) Drug Profile, 1 June 2018, http://www.emcdda.europa.eu/publications/drug-profiles/lsd.

psychedsubstance. “How To End A Terror Trip Using ‘Trip Killers’ | Educational.” Youtube, 15 June 2019, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FNumchkj1XQ.

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research paper

Trip Sitters

Everyone has wondered what psychedelic drugs can do to their mind.   If they were legal, thousands of people would travel just to try psychedelics in a legal and safe environment. That is what I intend on doing.  I am opening Trip Sitters.  It’s a psychedelic therapy facility that gives people an opportunity to try psychedelics such as Magic Mushrooms, LSD and DMT in a safe and controlled environment. Some people think that these drugs were discovered in the 1960’s, but nope, psychedelics have been around since the beginning of time.  Some people believe that the story about Moses and the burning bush was really just him tripping on DMT (N,N-Dimethyltryptamine) from the peganum harmala bush, a plant that is native to that location and highly rich in DMT.  Psilocybin Mushrooms are abundant in nature and can be found on every continent except for Antarctica.  These are potentially what cause the salem witch trials. Now you may be thinking “why should we legalize something that caused the Salem witch trial” and there are multiple answers.  One if they knew they were on shrooms they wouldn’t think that those girls were witches. Two, making them legal makes it a lot easier to do more research on them because they would be easier to get.  Three tripping on psychedelics such as Psilocybin Mushrooms (magic mushrooms), DMT, and LSD (Lysergic acid diethylamide) (acid) can be very therapeutic and can actually help with things such as depression.  LSD was a huge part of the 1960’s counterculture.  Everyone did it and all the hippies loved it.  It inspired so much music and art and really started to hit mainstream media.  LSD was made illegal in 1968.  Around the same time there was tons of propaganda against LSD going around.  People said that acid will make you go crazy, it can give you acid flashbacks,  that if you crack your back while tripping on acid that the LSD fluid will be absorbed into your spinal cord and you will never stop tripping. Everybody wanted you to believe that LSD and psychedelics like it were all harmful and going to ruin your life if you tried it.  But that’s very far from true, LSD and other psychedelics alike are relatively non harmful if taken in the correct way which is what we intend on doing at trip sitters.  We make sure that no one over serves themselves and that everyone is taken care of. 

I don’t believe that these drugs should be allowed to be bought in a store, I think that anyone who wants to try these drugs should be allowed to try them in one of our facilities where it is safe and you are being watched by a trip sitter with an on-site doctor. 

There are four steps in making an appointment.  You must have a background check with a psychiatrist to ensure you’re mentally healthy enough. You must provide a list of allergies to any medications, if any, to ensure that you may safely be dosed a trip kiler if needed. You must make your appointment a week in advance and really get your mind together. To help prepare yourself for your trip try meditation, listening to calming music, breathing exercises, and avoid any negativity.  If you have any small life problems such as a relationship issue please try and fix the problem before your trip as it can and likely will create unneeded stress which can induce a challenging trip.   We also encourage last minute cancellation with a small fee or free rescheduling because we find it very important that the customer has an opportunity to cancel if they are not in a good state and are emotionally ready.  

 Our number one concern is the safety of the customer.  We want our trippers to be in a good mind set and make sure they’re in a good enough place to trip.  The Psychiatrist appointment is to ensure that the user is emotionally stable and ready for the experience.  The use of these drugs is a serious thing. They are like a mini vacation that lasts for only a few hours, but those few hours can feel like days.  When you’re tripping you have no sense of time, 5 minutes can feel like 2 hours or 10 seconds. 

To ensure that everyone gets the most out of there trip, our trip sitters are also experienced trippers that know a good deal on how to calm someone out of a “challenging” trip and incase of a nightmare trip there is an on site doctor that can and will prescribe u a trip killer such as Lorazepam(Ativan) and Diazepam(Valium), both drugs are classified as benzodiazepines, typically used for anxiety relief.  Trip killers don’t actually take effect immediately, but usually taking the trip killer and knowing that your trip should be ending soon can create a placebo effect, helping the user calm down and enjoy the short remainder of the trip.  Due to benzodiazepines being highly addictive we do not allow our clients that have had previous benzodiazepine addiction or other addictive personality traits to have their trips killed by using one of these drugs.  If you find yourself in a situation where you are having a terror trip and had a previous addiction to benzodiazepines or for whatever reason cannot take one of the benzodiazepines you will be forced to have to sit through it and that your trip sitter will attempt to help guide you through the rest of your trip.   We recommend that you step outside into our garden to get a change of scenery and calm your mind or listen to some calming music. 

Bad trips are part of the experience and they are not meaningless, if anything a bad trip can be one of the most powerful trips u can have because everything that happens in a trip is happening in your mind.  So this means that any problems you are having in your trip are already in your mind without you knowing and it takes the destruction of the ego to reveal them.    Bad trips “can unlock a door and show us secretive aspects of our personality or psyche or things that we need to heal in our life” (Psychedsubstance, 1:46).  Trip killers are only taken when the user physically cannot stand their trip.

DMT induces one of the most intense high one can get, making it somewhat dangerous but non-addictive. Going into a DMT trip is a very serious thing and it is not a drug to play around with.  Before you start your trip you need to think of every single possible outcome that can come of this. DMT has the potential of convincing your mind that you have died, which gives you the most intense feeling of death and then the feeling of completely being reborn into this life.   This feeling can completely alter the way you view your life and make decisions in the future.  DMT is so powerful it can even feel like you are being possessed, or taken control of. When smoking it you want to make sure you smoke a lot of it.  If you smoke a little bit of it you will get stuck in the build-up.  If you smoke just enough you will break through but you’ll be in your head giving yourself a higher chance of having a bad trip, but if you smoke a lot of it you will be stuck on the ride. The lead-up is the scariest part because it is first starting to take control of your mind but you are still somewhat conscious, you are fighting for control.   Once you have finally given up and the drug takes control, here’s where it starts to get easier.  The best part is the breakthrough, this is when you would be being reborn after death.  People often describe this feeling to be euphoric. 

Legalization of these drugs ensures safety in that the drug you are using is what you think it is. The biggest danger in consuming psychedelic drugs off the streets is the potential of it being fake.  More specifically LSD, when buying street LSD not only do you not really know an accurate dosage but you also aren’t sure that it is actually LSD. LSD tabs are created in a very simple way, you take a sheet of blotter paper and dip it in LSD. The problem with this is that this process can be repeated with numerous other drugs that could be harmful to the human body. This is why it is important that we test every tab of LSD before it is sold.  To ensure the safety of our clients we send all of our products off to Energy Control.  Without testing it is practically impossible to tell if your psychedelics are the real thing or if they are a fake, homemade, look alike version made with a different, unsafe, chemical such as 25I-NBOMe.  25I-NBOMe(one of the most common copycat LSD) is a very dangerous drug that can be deadly with the right sized dose. It allegedly has a very bitter taste which is where the term if it’s bitter it’s a spitter comes from because LSD does not have any flavor.  Even the slightest bitter flavor means you should spit it out right away. 

We do not allow the mixing of these drugs with anything except for cannabis.  Many people swear by cannabis when they are tripping because it can help relax and soothe your body.   It can also help if you find yourself on a challenging trip,   the marijuana can actually help relax your mind and remove the negativity from your trip.   The best part about adding cannabis to your trip is that it doesn’t harm your body or mind. Many people even smoke DMT by mixing it in with marijuana because it is easier to light that way.  Mixing other drugs like MDMA with psychedelics like DMT can calm your body during the come up and make the entire time enjoyable, but MDMA is also dangerous and you can be overdosed.

The facility will have a very comfortable feel with 5 tripping rooms with a sitter for each room. Your trip sitter is there to tend you while tripping, they can bring you water or a snack, play whatever music you’d like them to, get u things to enhance your trip like kaleidoscopes and psychedelic picture books. They can also get the on site doctor if u think u may need a trip killer or are concerned that u may need to go to the hospital.  Each room is equipped with a bean bag, an incredibly comfortable couch, a TV with access to hulu, netflix and youtube, a bluetooth speaker, blankets, one time use eye masks, and plenty of things to feast your eyes on such as colorful tapestry, artwork by Alex Grey and even an outside garden area to look at flowers and enjoy the outdoors.  Smoking so both tobacco and marijuana is allowed in the garden, but the mixing of psychedelics and alcohol is prohibited everywhere.

We  can host five different trippers each day and we have three different trip options,  LSD, Mushroom, and DMT.  LSD being the most expensive because it is the longest and DMT being the cheapest. These are the only ones deemed safe enough for constant use. We recommend that our first-time trippers try the mushrooms because it is the most mild trip with a price cheaper than LSD. Mushrooms only last four to six hours while LSD can last up to 12 hours. LSD costs $620 per trip, it is $20 for the tab, $250 for the doctor, $100 to the sitter and $250 for using the facility.  Mushrooms cost $445, $60 for Mushrooms, $125 for the doctor, $60 for the tripsitter and $200 for using the facility.  DMT costs $175, $55 for the DMT itself, $50 for the doctor, $20 for the tripsitter and $50 for using the facility. Trip killers are not in the basic price because not everyone needs one, they cost an extra $75 but are covered by some insurances. Despite the cheapest option being DMT we do not allow people to try that their first time unless u have experimented with psychedelics before.  DMT is the most intense psychedelic experience one can have and is not for beginners.  You must have at least one other experience tripping before trying this drug. 

Psychedelics, when done safely, can be one of the most profound and enlightening experience one can get.   Let’s remove the stigma around psychedelic drugs.  The only place you can legally and safely explore your mind and see what it’s like is to live like the hippies of the 60’s.  Come explore and begin healing your mind with us.  Take a trip with Trip Sitters.  

psychedsubstance. “How To End A Terror Trip Using ‘Trip Killers’ | Educational.” Youtube, 15 June 2019, www.youtube.com/watch?v=FNumchkj1XQ.

Psychedsubstance. “Testing Acid (LSD).” Youtube, 11 June 2016, www.youtube.com/watch?v=JQolfubmFSs.

Psychedsubstance. “What a Bad DMT Trip Feel Like.” Youtube, 14 Mar. 2019, www.youtube.com/watch?v=0LdPKYJ0Kf4.

Freeman, Shanna, and Nathan Chandler. “How LSD Works.” HowStuffWorks Science, HowStuffWorks, 27 Jan. 2020, science.howstuffworks.com/lsd2.htm.

Shrooms High: What Does It Feel Like and How Long It Lasts.” Addiction Resource, addictionresource.com/drugs/shrooms/shrooms-high/.

“Lysergide (LSD) Drug Profile.” Lysergide (LSD) Drug Profile, 1 June 2018, http://www.emcdda.europa.eu/publications/drug-profiles/lsd.

History.com Editors. “LSD.” History.com, A&E Television Networks, 14 June 2017, www.history.com/topics/crime/history-of-lsd.“Witches, Bread and LSD: How a Poisonous Mold May Have Caused Hallucinogenic Hysteria.” Hopes&Fears, 11 Jan. 2016, www.hopesandfears.com/hopes/now/drugs/216731-ergot-salem-witch-trials

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