King's College London is testing the impact of taking a lunch break and engaging in a creative activity on staff wellbeing in the Florence Nightingale Faculty of Nursing, Midwifery & Palliative Care. 

Running throughout the autumn term a series of creative taster activities are encouraging staff and students to try new activities including bookbinding, photography, drawing and movement.

Few people take regular lunch breaks away from their desk or place of work and this is potentially harmful to wellbeing. It is particularly an issue in the clinical practice of nursing care and nursing education. Creative Breaks challenges this culture by setting aside one hour every week when all staff and students within the Faculty are encouraged to switch off, log off and do something other than work. 

Past sessions have included a collaborative drawing workshop exploring movement strategies and mark-making techniques to gain confidence in drawing,and a yoga-based relaxation workshop.

Future sessions include creative writing and choral singing. Find out more here.