#Breaktime images how to#

Further, timing of the break matters - shorter breaks are more effective in the morning, while longer breaks are more beneficial in the late afternoon. For example, workers can take short breaks for snacking, stretching, or simply gazing out of the window. Disengaging from work only for a few minutes but on a regular basis (micro-breaks) can be sufficient for preventing exhaustion and boosting performance. Here are some common break elements to consider: Break length and timingĪ longer break does not necessarily equate to a better break.

#Breaktime images how to#

In other words, it matters how to pause work. However, our systematic review shows that not all break types are equally effective. What types of breaks are more effective for improving well-being and performance?īreaks come in many different shapes and forms: exercising, browsing social media, going for a short walk, socializing with others, taking a nap, grabbing lunch, and so on. However, not all breaks are equal in terms of their effects. The good news is that taking breaks can help employees to recharge and short-circuit the negative spiral of exhaustion and decreasing productivity. Think about reading the same line for the fifth time, for example, and still not absorbing it. This means that the more we work, the less productive and more exhausted we can become. In extreme cases, nonstop work can lead to a negative spiral: A worker tries to finish tasks despite their depleted state, is unable to do them well and even makes mistakes, resulting in more work and even fewer resources left to tackle those same tasks. Pushing through work when very little energy is left in the tank puts a strain on well-being and work performance. When our batteries run low, we feel depleted, exhausted, and stressed out. Like batteries that need to be recharged, we all have a limited pool of physical and psychological resources. Why is taking breaks is beneficial for well-being and performance? Counter to the popular narrative of working long work hours, our research suggests that taking breaks within work hours not only does not detract from performance, but can help boost it. In analyzing more than 80 studies, we (with our colleagues Zahra Premji, Timothy Wingate, Connie Deng, Lisa Bélanger, and Nick Turner) confirmed that pausing work throughout the day can improve well-being and also help with getting more work done. Intrigued by two competing narratives - one focused on working more as an indicator of performance and the other on having regular respites to protect well-being - as well as mixed (and sometimes even conflicting) findings of individual studies on these topics, our team conducted a systematic review of existing research on workplace breaks. Pausing work rather than pushing through might help with both aspects. What can we do to address our declining well-being while maintaining performance? Alarmingly, both high burnout and low engagement rates are associated with hindered performance. Engagement has taken the opposite turn and is declining among the U.S.

More than half of employees (59%) report feeling burnout according to a recent survey from Aflac. For example, the “daily routines of CEOs” often include things like waking up at 4 am, working on the weekend, and even being “ strategic about how often you go to the bathroom.” To tackle an ever-increasing workload, many workers choose to grind through, skip lunch, and stay after hours.īut the cost of being always-on (and doing it well!) is high. And not surprisingly, the popular literature is rife with advice on how to maximize work time. It seems intuitive that the more time we spend on job tasks, the more we can get done. For many of us, being productive means spending more time working.