Most of us hustle through the workweek like busy bees, saving our relaxation for the weekends. We know we should take more time for ourselves, like stepping away to eat lunch or occasionally putting our phones on silent, but we often feel too busy battling our to-do lists. Unfortunately, this can lead to burnout.
But there’s a simple, effective way to improve your employees’ physical and mental health at work: micro-breaks. These short, frequent breaks can refresh the mind, boost energy levels, and make the workday much more manageable. As we progress, we’ll see how promoting micro-breaks can change the workplace and improve everyone’s focus, productivity, and well-being.
What Is a Micro-Break?
A micro-break is a short, intentional pause throughout the workday, usually lasting just a few minutes. It is intentionally short pauses from work tasks designed to provide mental and physical relief. Employees need breaks to recharge mentally and physically, maintain high productivity levels, and prevent burnout.
Micro-breaks offer a practical solution to meet this need without significantly disrupting workflow. Studies show that taking quick 10-minute breaks or less can be just as beneficial for managing stress as longer breaks.¹ Instead of powering through our tasks, these quick pauses allow us to address immediate physical, mental, or emotional needs.
How Short Breaks Help You at Work: Getting More Done
The Pomodoro Technique is one effective method. Individuals work for 25 minutes, then take a 5-minute break. After four cycles, you can take longer 15-30 minute breaks. This technique harnesses the power of short, frequent breaks to maintain focus and productivity.
Shorter breaks are often more beneficial as they provide quick refreshment without allowing the mind to disengage from work tasks fully. The key is to work more efficiently, not just longer.
As your call center agents become more tired, they must exert more effort to maintain their performance. This increased effort doesn’t necessarily make them more productive—it makes them less efficient over time. Taking mini breaks allows them to break this depletion cycle and helps them work more effectively when they return to their tasks.
Here are the benefits it offers:
Lowering Stress Levels and Avoiding Burnout
In contact centers, where employees often handle demanding and repetitive tasks, not taking breaks can quickly increase stress and lead to burnout. Introducing micro-breaks designed for this fast-paced environment is important for coping with this pressure.
Micro-breaks provide a quick and effective way to manage stress by offering moments to relax and recharge. Deep breathing exercises, short walks, or stretching at their desks can help reduce tension and anxiety and create a more balanced and less stressful work environment.
Read More: The Ultimate Guide to Combat Customer Service Burnout: Symptoms, Causes, and Solutions
Enhances Productivity and Focus
It may seem counterintuitive, but encouraging employees to step away from their work, even briefly, can enhance productivity. When your team takes micro-breaks, they give their brains a chance to reset. This brief pause can help clear mental clutter, improve concentration, and allow employees to return to their tasks with renewed energy and focus.
Enhanced Physical Well-Being
In contact centers, employees spend extended periods sitting at their desks, which could cause physical health issues like poor posture, back pain, reduced circulation. Encouraging micro-breaks that involve movement can help address these issues, especially in this environment.
Simple activities such as standing up, stretching, or taking short walks between calls can improve blood flow, reduce muscle stiffness, and enhance overall physical well-being. Encouraging movement and regular micro-breaks in contact centers can reduce fewer sick days and improve productivity.
Improve Ability to Think Creatively and Solve Problems
Sometimes, the best ideas come when employees are not actively thinking about a problem. Micro-breaks can stimulate creativity by allowing minds to wander and connect with different thoughts. These breaks can also provide fresh perspectives on tasks and help them find better ways to solve customer issues. This makes finding innovative solutions and approaching problems from new angles easier.
Building Stronger Relationships with Others
Promoting micro-breaks with colleagues can establish better relationships and improve team dynamics. Encouraging quick conversations over coffee or participating in group exercises creates opportunities for informal interactions that strengthen bonds and improve communication within the team.
These positive social interactions can improve job satisfaction and build a more collaborative and supportive work environment.
Read More: The importance of Wellbeing and Health in the Workplace
How Can Managers and Organizations Promote the Idea of Taking Breaks?
Just having breaks available doesn’t guarantee benefits. Employees may not use their breaks efficiently or take them at all. Managers, as leaders in organizations, have an important role in promoting effective work breaks. This can be achieved in several ways:
Read More: Call Center Stress and Customer Experience: How to Help Employees Thrive
Encouraging a Positive Outlook on Breaks
While employees usually view breaks positively and believe they improve performance, managers may not always share this perspective. This discrepancy can discourage employees from taking needed breaks.
Therefore, managers must understand the performance benefits of breaks. For example, HR managers can include this information in wellness training programs. Organizations can also introduce “wellness moments,” like safety moments, discussing effective break strategies and brainstorming enjoyable activities.
Displaying posters showing the benefits and best practices of taking breaks can also reinforce their importance in the workplace.
Taking Breaks on Their Own
Managers can show the importance of taking breaks by consistently engaging in effective types themselves, which employees can follow. For example, a manager regularly walking her dog in a nearby park can inform her team that she’ll be taking a break to do so.
This sets a positive example and establishes clear boundaries around not disturbing breaks. Leading by example helps reduce employees’ stigma or guilt about taking breaks. It’s promising that more organizational leaders are recognizing this and even sharing regrets about not taking enough time off work.
Set Specific Times for Breaks
Many contact center employees find it challenging to take regular breaks due to operational demands and perceived stigma. To address this, managers and organizations can implement dedicated break times tailored to the dynamic nature of the work environment.
It’s important to avoid rigid schedules that restrict employee autonomy. Instead, offering flexible break options, such as allowing employees to choose when to take breaks within specified guidelines, can support their well-being and productivity. For example, contact centers could introduce initiatives like “break tickets,” where employees receive daily vouchers to use for taking breaks at their discretion.
Create Break-Friendly Spaces
Designate areas in the office where employees can relax, stretch, or take short walks. For example, set up quiet areas with comfortable seating, soft lighting, and calming decor where employees can unwind. Add a small gym area or yoga mats for stretching exercises.
You can also create a walking path inside or around the building for short, refreshing walks to encourage employees to take regular micro breaks and help them recharge effectively.
Encourage Physical Activity
Promoting movement involves encouraging activities that keep the body active and reduce the negative effects of prolonged sitting. Instead of sitting for meetings, encourage team leaders and supervisors to conduct stand-up meetings at workstations or in designated areas.
You can also allow customer representatives to stand while handling calls, which helps them stay more alert, focused, and physically engaged throughout the conversation. Schedule short breaks during the workday to introduce brief stretching sessions led by a trainer or through video tutorials. These can help alleviate muscle tension caused by long periods of sitting and improve overall physical comfort.
Promote Team Bonding
Creating opportunities for employees to connect during break times is essential for establishing a supportive and collaborative work environment. For instance, setting up a designated area with a coffee station where employees can gather during breaks. This provides a space for casual interactions and encourages networking and relationship-building among colleagues.
You could also organize scheduled group walks during break times, indoors around the office building or in nearby areas. This promotes physical activity while allowing employees to socialize and discuss work-related or personal topics in a relaxed setting.
BREAK FREE TO FOCUS ON WHAT MATTERS. LET SALEM SOLUTIONS TAKE CARE OF YOUR HIRING NEEDS.
Take micro-breaks and let us handle everything else. At Salem Solutions, we manage all your staffing needs, so you can enjoy your breaks knowing your hiring processes are in expert hands.
We offer comprehensive services, including temporary staffing, temp-to-hire, and direct placement. When you work with us, you can focus on maximizing productivity while we build and manage your workforce. Reach out to us today and experience the peace of mind and enhanced productivity of partnering with Salem Solutions.
Reference
1. “10-Minute ‘Micro-Breaks’ May Help Prevent Worker Burnout, Study Finds.” Medical News Today, 31 Aug. 2022, www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/10-minute-micro-breaks-may-help-prevent-worker-burnout-study-finds?utm_medium=organic&utm_source=blog&utm_campaign=micro-breaks.