How to Take a Brain Break | Jim Kwik 

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"Failure is not the opposite of success, it is part of success" I really like this quote of you.

1. Breath 2. Hydrate 3. Stand up and move

No stupid music, only info in a well paced manner. ❤️

"Its not about perfection, its about progress" Strong words as I always find myself focused on perfection only to realize i am lacking in progress

Today I set 12 alarms, one for each hour from 10am to 10pm. When the alarm sounded I had to rest for 10 minutes, doing nothing, mainly watching life go on from my window. You can't even imagine how healing it was. Tomorrow I'm doing again 100%.

The super brain yoga technique was actually a form of punishment given by school teachers to kids in India. Looks like they knew that this would improve the kids' brains :)

During my brain break I observe the trees- their shape , colour , how they move ,how the sun and wind play with leaves . This exercise is truly refreshing and makes me feel alive.

Hah! I learned to juggle in between classes and before exams at uni. I called it my “reset button” for my brain. Broke the overthinking cycles and let me enjoy time in deep flow. So refreshing! Kendama has had a similar effect as well! But hard to top juggling.

Summary: Take a break from focusing every 25-30 minutes. During break do three things to regain clarity: 1. Breathe 2. Hydrate 3. Move / juggle How to juggle: Imagine a box in front of you. Throw the balls/socks up to the corners and catch with the other hand. Key is to relax so you're not all tensed up and shift your focus peripherally so you have room to see what's going on. It's not about perfection, it's about progress. Failure is part of success, not the opposite of success. Super brain yoga: Touch each earlobe with the contralateral hands to give them a massage, and at the same time squat down. Tip: Make movement a part of your hour, not just three times a week. Keep the blood circulating.

*PRO TIP: Small Open Plastic Grocery Bags. Most novices can master juggling within 15 minutes when learning with small plastic grocery bags because they literally fly through the air in what looks like "slow-motion". I trained many people over the years & start them with 3 small open plastic bags & after 5 minutes transition them to rolled up socks, then balls & on average within 15 minutes they never forget.* *PLASTIC BAGS: True, some communities stopped using them & went back to paper bags or reusable bags/sacks but no, I am not referring to tiny sandwich bags nor am I referring to department store bags so big they can fit an entire men's suit, because the grocery bags I'm referring to actually can open up enough to catch air so that once you throw them up in the air by one of their handles they float back down which provides a significant amount of time to react juggling 3 bags, but are not so big that throwing 3 at a time becomes impossible. The handles are simply manufactured holes at the top of the bag on both sides, the handles are NOT separate attachments. Do your best to continue to catch them again by the handle in order to keep the bag open. Ultimately test out different types & sizes of plastic bags to find out what works for you.* *JUGGLING MORE THAN 3: Increase your air time (hang time) with each throw. Search RU-vid for "Juggle 5 balls" or 6 or 10 or etc. Ultimately you'll notice that the more balls a juggler can juggle the higher in the air each ball must be thrown. Obviously this provides the juggler with more time to react. So practice holding & throwing more balls with each hand higher & higher, then add another ball. If you continue to increase the number of balls (10, 12, 14, etc) consider upgrading the type of balls you use from tennis balls to hacky sacks or professional juggling balls which are easier to grip. And then practice, practice, practice. I wish you success.* *Excellent video. I can never repay Jim for changing my life so dramatically in such a short period of time. I continue to become LIMITLESS by becoming the Better Man in Me at least 1% Daily!*

Wow. As a perfectionist who is starting her business while trying to stay a high performer at work while keeping my house in order, while trying to make my friends happy… I really needed to hear that it’s ok to drop the ball. Sometimes the guilt is so strong. I really really needed someone to give me permission to just be myself. It’s ok and it’s enough. For that, I love you to the moon and back. I mean it. You’re awesome. Take care.

I just today realized that how important it is to rest our brain, last night I pulled an all nighter because I had my finals today and I swear to God I had read every single ducking thing, but my brain refused to work, like shut, I couldn't remember any formulas nothing at all.

I love how the language seems to be adapted to this whole process. No voice that is trying to sell you something, trying to get emotions out of you or overly trying to express themself. Just very clean wording that gets the time it needs.

My break activities : 1.Drink Structured water 2.Juggling with 2 balls 3.Squad ( brain yoga ) 4.breathing imaging you are at the beach ..

- Breath - Hydrade - Stand up and make movement, wil try juggling and ears massage.

Randomly started this while eating. Didn't realised how desperately I needed a video like this

My breaks are usually either taking care of basic needs like drinking some water or having a snack or getting up and doing 2-3 minutes worth of cleaning. Seems like nothing but it helps keep my place clean a lot. And it gets me moving and looking at a longer distance and rest my eyes a bit

me watching this at 5am

Saw this on the internet somewhere: If you fail never give up because F.A.I.L means First Attempt In Learning. Thanks for your little training session. I am reading your book now. I want to become a Motion Designer. And it is really tough. Hopefully I can translate some of your teachings to get where i want to become. Great content!!

Dude, I've been juggling since I was a little kid. I literally just picked it back up again today after a couple year break, and now I randomly came across this video talking about the benefits of it. Thanks for sharing!

Another learning that was beneficial to the brain Thank you! I practice the 20/20/20 rule for my brain break. I saw this rule on Instagram where, for every 20 minutes of work, take a break and look away for something 20 feet away for 20 seconds. By looking at the distance, we give our brain time to relax and reset. helps us to be more alert, focused, and productive.

How did you literally describe my exact journey with juggling? I learned about a year ago. My jaw dropped when you started on the metaphor when you drop a ball, I thought about that every time i was practicing. That, and having real proof that I could learn something new still. Incredible feelings brought on by something so seemingly silly lol.

I wanted to learn from this video because my brain needs to rest, but it wanted to read the comment section instead.

I work in United States, im not allowed to go on break every 25 minutes

I keep a ukulele by my desk and sing a song or two. I feel energized by the music, my breath, and the strumming! It's best when I play the song from memory. Your teaching on movement, the tetra union of brain, heart, breath, and body, has inspired me to make a playlist of songs that put me in a good mood. Taking 3 min to flail around is exactly what I need. RU-vid is redeemed by content like your's.

"Your brain needs rest" Laughs in college

Thank you for your very calm and natural presentation. You are one of the rare people on RU-vid who doesn't turn every subject into neurotic shows.

Wow. So awesome knowing that I do a lot of what Jim describes in this video. I started moving as much as I can while at work, going outside for random sunlight, drinking water like a fish, breathing and Ive never felt better in 42 years. Thanks Jim!!

I do 60-90 minutes of deep work at once. After that I usually like to go outside, do calisthenics or meditate. From time to time I might take a nap too if I feel really tired.

Walking has changed my life. Something interesting always happens, it is time to engage the grateful flow, and I have struck up conversations with people that would have otherwise never happened.

Learning to juggle? Easy: start with two balls. Throw the first ball, when it reaches its Apex throw the second ball to make an X. Consistently make an X with the two balls. once you get the hang of that, incorporate the third ball into the series of exes.

I've been a juggler for about 15 years and I can attest to the benefits. In recent years I use short walks outside in between coding where I use my standing desk as much as possible.

We think of mental work different than physical work and act like we don't need a break. But they're similar and both are needed.

That forehead is not his receding hairline, it's his skull expanding to make room for his ever growing brain

I love this video so much. As someone who's never seriously juggled before, juggling proved to be just the break my mind needed and increased my focus in studying. Highly recommend 👌

I've had the Pomodoro Smart Timer app on my phone for ages, and only just tried using it after watching your video. I never really knew what to do during my breaks, and you gave me a practical, feasible guideline to follow. I gotta say, I got my work done so much more quickly and I feel much more energized afterwards as a result. Thanks, Jim!

My brain break is usually going for a walk: 3 minutes of laps in the house, or a choosing from one of the many "loops" outside the house or office--these are pre-timed 10 - 60 minutes routes. Loved the video and the juggling lesson--removes the pressure, so I'll be able to learn it this time :)

My favorite brain break is going for a short walk. Sometimes that looks like simply walking out the front door and taking a stroll around our court with my dog for 5-10 minutes. It’s a small amount of time but gives my brain and eyes a rest. Something about fresh air and looking at the beautiful colors in nature that refreshes my mind 😊

I was part of a seminar and did not enjoy most of it, but it did introduce me to Jim, and I would certainly sit through the eight hours again for him. What a gift.

I’m a teacher and I’ve been teaching my students these principles from day one.

I have no idea why this video was recommended to me, but I am incredibly thankful Excellent video, thank you so much for the great advice!

Well im not 100% sure I agree. If you can get into deep focus for hours then you should do it for insane productivity. Its called flow state and it can be quite incredible. You forget everything else while you are in it, and having a break can ruin it. So if you need break, take it. But if you dont need it and you are in flow state, keep going. Not everyone can do it, but if you can its a gift.

Mr.Jim I would truly appreciate it if you make a video explaining the types of concentration (cuz out of experience I deeply believe it has many types not just one) and how to sharpen each of them . your help in this would mean the world to a lot of people including me ... cheers brain coach you're the best !

I don't really have a brain break method since I usually keep going until I'm forced to stop out of habit. I'm incorporating more walks in my day, deep breathing, or simple light exercises. The advice presented here has been eye opening and I'm glad I took a break to watch this and to finally learn to juggle. 😊

Two quotes I always loved from my mom. "Nothing comes to a sleeper but a dream." And " anything that stays still becomes stagnant." You gotta get/stay in motion for even just a moment.

Jim kwik is probably one of the best names I’ve ever heard

I've been juggling for years now, I just love the fun of it. Even one ball is great if you try to do some fun tricks like throwing behind the back and it's great for coordination and body awerness. I didn't realize it could help the brain that much so I'll keep doing. And dancing is the same, I love it. Even though I practice meditation and deep breathing, I realized that intentional moving (with body control in mind) was much more beneficial in trying to calm down and focus.

My brain breaks : Follow Baroque Musics while trying to recall the key concepts and the relationship between them ; I skip the rope by listening to Ryan Caligiuri motivation2study podcasts or yours on Jim kwik podcast ; I go for walks while checking out my RU-vid notifications about your news videos amongst others ; I ask for my friends ; Or I simply lay myself down on the floor while my legs are up.

Today I learned the basics of juggling. And to be more conscious about giving my brain a breather. Kudos!

Thanks, I’ve been waiting for someone to explain the importance of juggling. It has changed my life forever

Training the lateral sling as movement prep for more demanding exercises has been great for me. After glute and lateral sling activation, working on a compound exercise, focusing on form and speed help improve the mind body connection when also being mindful of form and flow. Always clears my head. And of course some cardio / conditioning before and it after help with getting things firing, and warmed up pre training, and recovery post training.

my brain break is hydrate with more water (because my habit is to be caffeinated whenever I work) and put on my dance playlist. sometimes I go high impact dancing to get the stress messy yarn untangled (esp after exam crunch or hefty work day), some other time I go low impact and just use the music to help me feel energized again. i'll add juggling to my brain break list, thank you :D

as someone who is always afraid of making mistakes-this is something I really needed to hear. I was always afraid of not meeting my teachers' expectation, I felt relieved after watching this.

I keep seeing this video recommended to my feed. but I just scroll off and skip it. Now, I finally gave in and realized my mistake. Its not a clickbait and learned a lot from this video to better my mind. Thank you very much

My best notes (8-10) in the school, when I studied in the night time and very early another day. After exams my headache was terrible, with blood in my nose. Thanks!

I do the same thing with yoyos, rubix cubes, and butterfly knives. I do pomodoros and on the break stand up and a do something tactile. Amazing for productivity and sense of well-being. Great packaging to an ode to juggling and a fun tutorial btw

after three days of preparing for a Senior software developer interview, I started juggling with a fully loaded Glock 17

Thank you Jim for making this video public. It's particularly helpful for relieving stress and helping us focus on something new, allowing us to regain energy for our remaining work. The juggling is truly amazing. I hope that anyone who watches this video receives blessings from the Universe. God bless you, Jim; you are an incredible person

My brain break is that I walk in circles while reading a book. It gives me knowledge while keeping me awake (I sometimes fall asleep while reading).

I love how you take your time to explain concepts clearly. Also, if you wouldn't have told me about 3 times to really get up and juggle, I probably would have stayed laying and would've put this video on a "should try someday" list. But instead, I tried all the methods introduced in this video and had instant results of mental relief. I love the practicality of this video!

11:29 it's a ritual in India and we call it as "thopukaranam" in Tamil (தமிழ்). It's astonishing that Ancient Indians had inculcated such scientifical things in our daily routine in form of rituals 😲🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥

You're the first person who reminded me of my high school art teacher. He sounded so random and nearly seemed to jump from one thing to another, often ending up in nonsense. BUT then he'd pull out a word, a concept and everything would be so clear and almost obvious. Thank you so much, saving this precious video! 😀💖

Brain break examples: Breathing consciously and drinking water if you were thirsty Moving - walk/exercise/calisthenics Juggling Do whatever you love I'm trying juggling soon, this has been my wish from childhood. I think everyone gets amazed seeing juggling. Now that i got to know the worth of the sport, I'm more interested in performing this

I would never imagine watching Jim to learn how to juggle, but it's so calming and great listening to him😅. Amazing teacher 🙏🏻

Drink water from my 0.45L bottle. Then, go to the next/upper floor to refill it through the stairs. Thank you, Jim. Stay blessed.

"I used to juggle, especially when I had too much work, to give myself a break at. It made me feel good. However, when I moved, I lost one ball. Today, by chance, I found it and felt so happy. Then I came across your video talking about the benefits of juggling. It's just amazing; the world is telling me to take a break." Some one is watching after me, thanks God ❤

10:00 Other forms of cross laterals can include alternate-nostril breathing (both the pranayama where you actually close nostrils with your fingers/thumb as well as the mental version done by focusing on flow of air into one nostril and out the other), rotation of consciousness body scans, EFT tapping, EMDR-related exercises, and modified progressive muscle relaxation exercises.

“It’s never about perfection, it’s about progress.” This man is droppin dimes.

I not only like what you said and taught but I also like the way you said it. Calm and collect cool headed. Well done Jim. Thank you

We call the super yoga as "thopukaranam" in tamilnadu , India. Its been as a part of our culture . We do this when we do prayers / give it as a punishment for children in schools for mistakes . Its like giving them a penalty . This one is a very ancient ways of ours that we still have in practise

For me doing Tai Chi was super relaxing and refreshing. It is both about breathing and moving your body in a controller way. Probably done ancient wisdom instilled in there 😊

Thank you coach Jim, fdr continue sharing your knowledge, God bless, you are the best!

Study tips I use which proved to be effective: -Using anki -Listen to brown noise while studying -Occational walks outside maybe buy food to eat just to get some air -Closed room lights but I use a bright lamp to lighten my desk space -I usually do tree diagrams of terms to help me visualize the content of what I'm studying

I love immediately upon opening the video being hit with the really relaxed and slow presentation. It really emphasizes the idea of letting your brain relax, and it was a cool rhetorical thing to see.

It s all about removing every single source of distraction. I like what i see. Love this talk. The brain is like a sponge, it absorbs. Stand guard of your brains. Love you all. Lucky to be lef here. Tanks Jim

What an amazing Kwik way to learn! Juggling is like chewing gum and walking at the same time! Multi-tasking is not for the faint-hearted? Who's watching Jim in 2023? He and I look alike!

I picked up juggling recently as my little brain break because I thought it would be good for my hands, good to know that its good for your brain as well! I also found that throwing a ball against a wall with both my dominant and non dominant hand had a similar effect.

What I like to do when I've been sitting down too much is stretch my lower back and my hamstrings. That and become more aware of HOW I'm sitting down. I'm definitely adding some of your excercises to the mix. Had an absolute blast trying them out.

I do a few of the things suggested, even juggled on occasion, but now I see it in a new light. This is really great stuff. Thanks😻

Till I watch this video, my brain break was to head to new tab open youtube and watch some video from my feed. But now I am gonna change it and do some physical moment brain break, which will help to my brain to circulate more blood into it. I will start with juggling and some basic exercises. Thanks Jim, got perfect resolution from you.

Juggling has been an Incredible brain break for me! At first I didn’t think I would get it but kept working at it. Felt like I wasn’t getting anywhere stopped for a few months then came back and finally got it😎

I study with drum and bass so I think is great the ballroom dance, thank you for this because I am learning in deep programming and I got sick of my body for staying sit and not making pauses. God bless you!

This is such an important and underdiscussed topic, glad there's videos about it. Bless ya Jim

So so important. I love this

It’s really interesting because I suffered a brain injury in a car accident years ago and my therapist actually had me doing techniques like cross-laterals and juggling. Definitely does something!

this guy made ,me feel a sense of calm I've never felt before

One thing that I think has unintentionally given me better focus is physical labor while listening to a podcast. So the passive expending of my energy while listening has helped me absorb a wealth of information. Having my senses being active has made it easier to recall things as well.

My breaks: Breath and look to sky One yoga mvt many times Or Do some light home task...it's amazing what home tasks we can do in 10 or 15 min...incredible!

Little by little, it becomes KWIKLY BIG. Thanks you Jim

My brain break has usually been to move, even if I'm sitting. In settings where I'm expected to be still, that can be exercises with my fingers and toes, changing my sitting position repeatedly and including stretching, or moving my torso with small movements. When I'm on my own or with people I know, I've usually changed tasks frequently, which often includes changing spaces. This is also helpful for my learning, because when I return to the learning task, there has to be a mental recap to continue. I always drink a lot when learning.Where I now live, I've been told only people who are overwhelmed do this. Where I come from this was encouraged and supported. It helps me tremendously. Now that I've watched this, I want to add the deep breathing and input my dance more often as well as be more courageous about bigger movements in classes etc. Thank you so much for the confirmation, for spreading this valuable info, and for what I just learned. Thank you for the dance!

This is the first video that didn’t feel like it only works for the neurotypical brain. There were a lot of tips i got from this and my brain is far from typical, so thank you.

Amazing amazing video Jim, thank you so much. Greatly appreciate it 🙏

For the last 12 years or better, I found myself throwing a ball between 2 opposing walls in my bedroom. I would go back and forth, mixing up my throws, left/right hand, ceiling - wall - floor - hand, floor - wall - ceiling - hand. Sometimes fast, mostly finding a nice pace. I never really understood why it worked for me, but it did. Thanks for explaining one of my quirks.

Thank you Jim for giving away these great tips for free!

It's fun to browse the feed and then a completely unrelated video to my daily views pops up and the thumbnail/title speaks directly to me. I play guitar and judo, I'm thinking my brain + movement combined activities are at least covered for brain health. Playing guitar eyes closed/looking at the wall/whatever is pretty relaxing when not learning new, and in judo you don't tend to look in the eyes of your partner because you lose focus (of being relaxed and sensing the movement and weight shifts, you also don't look at the feet although the key factor is the feet). In both you also need to try unexpected and unfamiliar things regularly (you'll never find something new and interesting in music otherwise). Furthermore in judo you practice both sides until you're professional or at least know "the basics" and start to develop your own style (probably after 5-10 years), it feels really alien to practice the weak side but also feels like it really rewires and challenges your brain. And is rewarding once you start finding the movement pattern. My brain break is doing the household chores because I would never have time to eat otherwise since I'm a student. On the other hand between judo training sessions I feel more like lying down.

I don't know why but I felt so happy listening to the quality of your explanation sir, the content and the Communicator are both really amazing, keep the great work 👍👍

I never thought I would have learned how to juggle from a brain coach. Even just for that, you are the most useful mental health consultant I have ever come across in my life. Thanks for the informations shared in this video.

No ads, sponsors or trying to sell me a book, just clear helpful information ❤

Thank you A LOT 🙌! I was really struggling with my studies and my short fuse. Your explanation and techniques really helped me to handle the anger and frustration in the moment.