Break exercise

Use the movement symbol designed for our universities in the following ways during lectures or meetings:

• Add the symbol to the first slide of your presentation to remind yourself to mention that it's allowed to stand up or move around freely from time to time.

• Place the symbol in the corner of selected slides. During the review of these slides, participants are encouraged to stand up.

• Plan breaks in advance and insert the movement symbol between appropriate slides. When you reach the symbol, take a short movement break or do a few break exercises together.

Each video lasts about three minutes and can be effortlessly integrated into lectures, meetings, or your own workday. The videos were filmed on the Linnanmaa campus and feature students and staff from both the University of Oulu and Oamk.

Why and how should you take breaks from sitting? Learn more about this topic by watching Arto Pesola's (Director of Active Life Lab in South-Eastern Finland University of Applied Sciences) lecture. Duration of the lecture is 25 minutes. The lecture is in Finnish, but you can add English subtitles by pressing the settings button in the lower right corner of the video.

Is your mind wandering, your concentration slipping? Are your shoulders aching, your back stiff? Exercise can help! Take advantage of exercise breaks, where easy and gentle movements increase alertness and well-being during your study or work day. You can participate in your everyday clothes; no special exercise equipment is needed. The sessions last approximately 10 minutes, the instructor is Satu Kokko. The instructions are in Finnish. A new exercise session will be published in Panopto on Mondays at 10 a.m. during 12.1.-16.3.2026. Each session can be viewed for one week via the link below.

Take advantage of break exercise programs or lead a short break-exercise yourself. Oulu University of Applied Sciences uses Break Pro (downloadable from the Company Portal) and Oulu University uses Cuckoo (for staff / students). These break exercise apps contain short, 1-2 minutes exercise videos that you can use to take a break from your work or studies. The videos can also be used in teaching or meetings to break up long periods of sitting.

During longer breaks in lectures or meetings, it's a good idea to go for a walk and encourage others to take a walking break as well.

Standing up is an easy way to break up prolonged sitting. At the end of presentations or performances, applause is often given as a sign of appreciation — and it can be done standing. It's a good idea to mention the practice of standing ovations at the beginning of the event and explain the reasoning behind it, not only to help prevent the health risks of sitting but also to boost participants' alertness and energy levels.