Feeling good in your personal and professional life is one of the keys to happiness. Scientists from Romania recently observed that micro-breaks during a working day would boost employees’ sense of well-being.
- A recent study found that micro-breaks of less than ten minutes may be associated with decreased fatigue and increased energy.
- Resting for a short period would also improve the feeling of well-being at work.
Difficulty concentrating, low motivation, stress… It’s not easy to be productive at work all the time. To reinvigorate themselves during the day, employees can use various tips: drink a glass of lemon water, go outside or even chew a little mint.
Relaxing activities, time of silence…
A recent study published in the journal Plos One, found that micro-breaks of less than ten minutes could be associated with decreased fatigue and increased energy. To reach these conclusions, Patricia Albulescu, from the Western University of Timioara, (Romania), and her colleagues carried out a meta-analysis of 22 studies that observed the benefits of micro-breaks during a working day. . This work has been disseminated over the past 30 years.
In the studies studied, the tasks performed by employees differed depending on the position held. In some cases, participants had to practice simulations associated with their work and cognitive tests unrelated to their professional activities. The length and type of break varied across studies. Some studies have analyzed breaks including relaxing activities, a time of silence or video viewing.
Do micro-breaks boost work performance?
According to the conclusions of the analysis, micro-breaks would promote well-being at work. “Our results revealed that micro-breaks are effective in maintaining high levels of vigor and alleviating fatigue”the authors of the research pointed out.
However, these brief moments of respite have no impact on employee performance. Longer breaks would therefore be necessary in order to be more efficient for creative or office tasks. However, this is not the case for more cognitively demanding missions.