We are all stressed about the workload we have nowadays. Besides work-life balance, we need to focus on ourselves. Who doesn't want to have a good workday? Everyone does.
We need a good workday to produce excellent results. Most of us want to take a tiny break at work to stay focused or, you could say, to clear the mental blocks we face to think outside the box.
A recent study confirms that "tiny breaks," formally called "microbreaks," help us feel better at work and are essential for our overall health.
According to PLOS One, taking short breaks helps employees have more energy and feel less tired. Additionally, they found that breaks, when taken with the right mindset, help people feel better. Overall, the study supports that microbreaks are beneficial for well-being.
How are microbreaks good?
Taking breaks of up to 10 minutes is considered a microbreak. It's similar to taking a coffee break when you feel the need. Microbreaks are usually unscheduled, informal, and unstructured. In other words, you can decide when to take these breaks and do whatever you want.
Microbreaks are essential for both the body and mind, said Lily Brown, an assistant professor of psychology in psychiatry at the Center for the Treatment and Study of Anxiety at the University of Pennsylvania's Perelman School of Medicine.
She also added that pushing through without breaks can harm our health. Physically, we may ignore our body's needs or spend too much time sitting in poor positions. Emotionally, we don't give our minds enough time to adjust to new tasks or process stressful situations.
The study included data analysis from 22 studies over the past 30 years.
What type of microbreaks benefit us?
There are many ways to take microbreaks, but the key is that they should be informal and on your terms. This could be stretching, going outside for fresh air, or talking to a coworker. The research found that taking breaks unrelated to your job had the best impact. Even a quick walk can help.
While it's hard to determine which activity is the most effective, overall, taking short breaks helps improve focus.
Whether you call them short breaks, tiny breaks, or microbreaks, they can help you feel better at work and manage work pressure more effectively.
We live in a world of automation and digitization, constantly connected to things that create a lot of pressure. Microbreaks sprinkled throughout your workday can benefit your health. Ultimately, we can say, "Give me a break to focus more."
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