Burnt out at work? Combining short breaks with these strategies may help
Do you ever feel unmotivated, unfocused or low on energy at work? One solution is to take regular short breaks — and use them as well as you can.
Experiencing a lack of motivation, focus, or energy at work is a common issue. Rather than solely relying on regular short breaks, it's beneficial to utilize them effectively. Associate Professor Stacey Parker from the University of Queensland's School of Psychology suggests incorporating these micro-breaks with well-planned work strategies to enhance productivity, mental well-being, and energy management.
In a study involving 91 participants and over 600 work hours, it was found that a combination of micro-breaks and strategic work organization leads to better outcomes than passive strategies alone. Dr. Parker emphasizes that these brief pauses can help prevent serious health conditions, as enzymes in the blood that protect against metabolic disorders like type 2 diabetes, deep vein thrombosis, and gout become inactive after about 45 minutes of inactivity.
To maintain energy and motivation, she recommends pairing micro-breaks with work-related tasks like setting goals and reflecting on the task's meaning. However, this active strategy is only employed in 6% of the study's hours. About 65% of the hours involve passive strategizing, while 9% consist of work-related activities without micro-breaks.
Dr. Parker advises employees to set a timer to remind them to take a movement break every hour, likening this practice to wearing a hard hat at a construction site for safety. Employers and managers should also be empathetic to workers' needs and respect their boundaries when it comes to taking these necessary breaks.
Written by urgent.news from ABC News AU's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
