What is WorkBreaker?

Due to the Covid-19 outbreak, people have been forced to work from home. As jobs move online, people sit in front of the computer all day and take fewer breaks than they would have taken in the workplace. This has had negative effects on productivity, concentration, mental and physical health and increased the feeling of loneliness. 

WorkBreaker is an app designed for people who work remotely and therefore become sedentary for longer periods, with the purpose to help them maintaining both their productivity and health throughout the working day.  

How does it work?

WorkBreaker is a desktop application running on a computer. The user can choose between three different time intervals for working and taking breaks throughout the day. When a work session is finished, the built-in timer will remind the user that it's time for a break and start an activity, based on the user’s preferences. When the break comes up, the computer will go into screensaver mode - encouraging the user to stop working and take a well deserved break. WorkBreaker also provides a social function that allows users to invite friends to shared break activities in order to keep them both motivated in these times. 

Additional features in the application include statistics, managing a To-Do-list and view of performed activities. The weather widget includes functionality for planning break activities based on the local weather. The functions and features of the application are produced together with and for the future users of the system, and is therefore the natural choice for balancing your working life at home.

How does the prototype work? 

Log in

Here you can log in or create a new account. The system then asks you to indicate how you feel before starting your working day.

Wizard

Here you can choose if you want a tour of the system, to get to know WorkBreaker a little more before you start.

Social / Individual vy

WorkBreaker has two different views, social - where you can see your friends list and invite / invite to share activities with your friends, or individual (private) - where you can neither see your friends list or share activities with your friends. In the prototype, you can invite Eva to share an activity.

Add friend

If you want to add a new friend, you can do so directly here on the Dashboard by clicking on the plus sign next to the friends list. You can add and remove the friend "Anna" in the prototype.

Activities

In the activity tab you can see the activities that are in different categories, choose the ones you like (dog walking, meditation, water and painting can be selected in the prototype. Running can also be selected, but also deleted). You can also read more information about the activities, but this is only available for dog walking and meditation in this prototype.

Statistics

The statistics tab logs your work sessions, completed activities, shared activities and statistics on the user's mood.

Start day

When you are ready to start the day, press the start day button. towards the end of the session, you will receive a notification showing that there is one minute left before the break screen saver goes on. Today's second break is meditation with Eva, where you can send feedback to her afterwards. Today's fourth break is a lunch break, which can be postponed if you do not want to eat yet and instead take a regular break.

When you have finished the working day, you end the day and state how you feel after the end of the day. This can be done after the lunch break in this prototype.