How Taking “Micro Breaks” From Work Can Benefit Overall Health

No need to feel guilty about making a cup of tea or scrolling on your phone during the workday: Those “micro breaks” could actually be of benefit to your productivity and overall health. According to a recently published study, short breaks under 10 minutes can decrease the risk of mistakes, improve attention, and boost workers’ well-being, which in turn reduces burnout and feelings of exhaustion at the end of a workday. “When taking a short break when we feel the need to, we can notice that new ideas start to flow easily again, or effortlessly can pay attention to what we do,” lead author Patricia Albulescu told The Guardian. Emily Hunter, who has done her own, separate research on the topic of micro breaks, added to CNN that work pauses should be spent doing something you enjoy — perhaps looking out the window, dancing to your favorite song, or texting a friend — in order to make the most of them. As for how many breaks should fill a given day, the researchers recommend taking as many as you need to manage your individual workload.

Take a (Micro) Break