The Break That Refreshes

We know taking breaks is important. Many of us even program these into our watches or calendars – reminders to stretch, take a walk, meditate, or even just close our eyes are important for physical and mental health. But what makes a “good” break during the workday? We know surprisingly little about the effects of breaks on worker performance, attitudes, and productivity.

Two researchers* examined the break strategies of computer workers and their results are noteworthy. They looked at the effect of break strategies on “resource recovery,” or improved physical health and mental well-being. In addition to the usual questions (for example, did workers report fewer headaches, eye strain, and mental fatigue after their break?) they also looked at whether particular strategies for a break correlated with things like job satisfaction, doing favors for co-workers, and general motivation.

Their initial results are not surprising. When people took breaks from working at computers, they reported less physical pain (headache, backache, etc.) and reduced eyestrain. But the time away from work also had psychological and emotional benefits. When workers took breaks that provided the opportunity for resource recovery, they were better at their jobs. But this added energy had spillover effects, in that these workers were also more satisfied with and positive about their work. They also had more energy and inclination to help others.

On the one hand, these findings were likely related to lower levels of fatigue – when you’re less tired, you have more energy to engage with and help your co-workers. But one interesting possibility is the notion of a collective increase in the positive culture of the work unit as a result of strategically planning for and scheduling breaks. If a manager can provide better opportunities for resource recovery throughout the course of the day, the result may be not just less physical aches and pains, but a more communicative, cohesive, and supportive work environment.

The researchers’ systematic look at how and when breaks are most valuable provides these recommendations:

1-Customize your break. Employees in the study reported more benefit from a break when they engaged in an activity they liked. It didn’t matter how long the break was, whether they left the work area, or even if they engaged in work or non-work activities. As long as they did a “preferred” activity, the time away from work had positive benefits.

At a personal level, this means giving thought to the things you enjoy doing and building them into your break routine. If you don’t enjoy taking a walk, don’t do it. If you want to play Candy Crush, do. Unpack your knitting or check your fantasy football lineup. Bring a lunch or snacks with food you genuinely like and take time to enjoy eating it.

At the company level, this suggests providing alternatives for break activities. The opportunity to play a game of ping pong, eat a chocolate bar, or even pet a dog may give employees’ breaks the extra boost they need to be more happy and productive. Ask employees about their favorite “five minute fix” and try to incorporate it into the workplace.

2-Encourage early breaks. In this study, timing mattered: breaks taken earlier in the day were more beneficial on every level. When breaks were taken later in the shift, both physical recovery and mental benefits were diminished. Additionally, having more short breaks provides better recovery than fewer, longer ones.

Personally, we’re on the right track with those beeps from our watches reminding us to stretch or meditate. Schedule breaks into your day and take one before you feel you need it. If you’ve gone on working too long, it will be harder for a brief time away to refresh you physically and mentally.

At the workgroup level, build breaks into the daily routine. In one of my clients’ offices, one workgroup sets a six minute timer every two hours. They rotate responsibility for announcing the break, and unless they’re on the phone with a customer, no one is allowed to work until the timer dings. One person reads a few pages in a novel, another walks around the office, and a third texts his girlfriend. Sometimes they just talk about the weather. Either way, at the end of six minutes they’re ready to get back to work. (And they’ve connected with one another in a positive way…even while doing individual things.)

3-Focus on wellness. While the benefits in this study are certainly the result of people feeling good at work and therefore doing good, there may be another phenomenon at play. When you show your employees that you care about their well-being, you show them something called “perceived organizational support (POS).” POS can lead to employee engagement and job satisfaction. It also contributes to workers’ commitment to the organization, such that they are less likely to leave a company they perceive to care about and support them personally. So while there are lots of good cost-reduction/health related reasons to encourage employees to take breaks, be sure to tell them that your break strategy is built on encouraging them to take good care of themselves – because you care about their health and well-being in addition to their productivity.

*Hunter, E. M., & Wu, C. (2016). Give me a better break: Choosing workday break activities to maximize resource recovery. Journal of Applied Psychology (101), 302-311.