Reading time: 3 min.
You probably know it well; it’s half past 8 in the morning, employees walk into the office. They quickly grab a cup of coffee and dive behind their screens to answer the first emails. The day is packed with meetings and lunch is once again spent behind the screen.
Time for a break? Usually, there isn’t one…
Agreed, everyone has busy days, but when these start to pile up, a tense atmosphere and an unmotivated team emerge in the workplace. This is very likely, as no less than 1 in 4 Belgians report experiencing stress at work every day.
What is the solution?
Well, a large part of the solution is within reach. Did you know that short & quality breaks throughout the day can make a huge difference? In Sweden, this has long been no secret. The “fika,” the shared break moment during the day, is sacred there. In this blog, we guide you through the importance of (healthy) breaks at work.
The importance of taking breaks
Taking breaks is not only the best part of the day, it also increases productivity and lowers our stress levels. These are well-known facts, but what other benefits do these short & quality breaks offer?
Besides the question ‘Why is taking breaks good?’ we can also ask ourselves ‘Why is NOT taking breaks bad?’ When you don’t take breaks, it can lead to a loss of focus with greatly reduced productivity as a result.
When you motivate employees to take regular breaks, you will quickly notice positive effects. In general, small breaks improve decision-making and sharpen thinking. As a result, creativity also gets a boost!
In short, taking breaks ensures that goals are reached more efficiently.
Of course, we can distinguish between different types of breaks. A meditation exercise will not have the same effect as eating a healthy snack. That’s why we list here some benefits that certain break activities can have on you and your employees.
Relaxing break
When someone takes a relaxing break, for example reading an article or taking a walk around the office, it affects their mood. The employee returns mentally refreshed from their break and will feel much stronger again. Moreover, the team gets into a more positive mood & is less susceptible to external stimuli.
Also, stepping away from the physical workplace ensures that performance levels on tasks will be higher, because the workplace is often associated with working and being productive.
Learning something new
Even if it’s just a daily Duolingo session, learning something new helps someone feel less tired. It may seem contradictory, but everyone knows that productivity boost you get when you’ve just learned something! Encourage your team to find something that interests them so they can happily spend their time on it during their break! Preferably, this is not done behind the computer, although that can happen occasionally, of course.
Social activities
A day without coffee chat is a day not worked. It turns out these short social moments around the coffee machine are actually very good for productivity! Your team will be in a better mood and overall well-being will soar. Also, your employees become more connected with each other, resulting in a better team atmosphere, which in turn leads to better results.
A healthy lunch or snack
Nutrition is the body’s fuel! Often, we see offices dominated by unhealthy cookies and soft drinks. They may taste good… but they have an extremely negative impact on both performance and employee health. Encourage your employees to eat healthy lunches & snacks throughout the day. This contributes to a healthy work environment and keeps metabolism going, which increases productivity and avoids those well-known energy dips.
