Katie Coen

During a long morning at work, I look forward to taking myself to the cafeteria and releasing my stress at lunch time. Only sometimes, this does not happen. The busyness of the workday often gets in the way and breaks seem like a luxury.

This is not true just for me. A study done in California showed that over 25% of employees worked through their lunch break. This can cause one to feel overworked and can make them resent their place of business. The study also found that when employees do take their breaks, the time has been cut down since 2014. This is all a bad thing; research proves that taking breaks has many benefits.

Studies from Michigan State University found that breaks during the workday improve focus when returning, increase job satisfaction, and create better memory and focus. 

Taking a break from making decisions within work allows employees to refuel to make better decisions than they would without a break.

Michigan State University

That’s not all. Employee mental health and wellness is impacted by a lack of breaks. The stress relieved from stepping away from a task allows a person to reflect and relax.

Most importantly in a field of communications or any career involving inovation, creativity is boosted by taking a step away from the product or idea. 

Spending too many hours with your nose to the grindstone can do more harm than good when it comes to creativity.

Haeli Harris, Nivati

When engaging in a design sprint process, which uses creativity in all stages, breaks are taken throughout the day to ensure sprinters are always on their A game. Throughout the entire five day process, the group works for only six hours a day. They start at 10 a.m. and work for a period of time. Then they take a break and work again before an extended lunch. After that, they work, take a break, and work again, finishing at 5 p.m.

Jake Knapp explains why these breaks are important in “Sprint: How to Solve Big Problems and Test New Ideas in Just Five Days.” He says longer hours does not necessarily lead to a better final product.

These breaks are a sort of “pressure-release valve,” allowing people to rest their brains and catch up on work happening outside the sprint.

Jake Knapp, Sprint: How to Solve Big Problems and Test New Ideas in Just Five Days

One may think the multiple breaks take time away from working toward to goal of creating a successful product. Knapp says this is the opposite. When sprinters are working in their designated times, there are no distractions, and their minds are ready for deep focus.

Whether you are working on a sprint or just working a nine to five job, there are things you can do to ensure you take breaks. The Wellness Thesis says employees should agree on break times with their managers and peers. Creating a consistent time for a break will make it become a pattern. They also recommend setting an alarm or reminder every day. During these breaks, it’s most important to find something enjoyable to do to get your mind off the work you are engaging in. It won’t only improve your productivity, but it could make you a little bit happier.