More Answers... (03/09/26 Newsletter): Take a Break

Hi Everyone, 

Here are More Answers... to help you head into the work week. Remember, you can see previous newsletters at askchrista.com/MoreAnswers.

Today’s topic: Take a Break

We all know this intellectually, or at least we think we do (hah hah, get it? Intellectually... "think" we do... hah hah!). 

We know that breaks open us up, give our brains a chance to recharge. Give us restorative moments. Allow us some room to actually THINK instead of letting the inertia of life and the momentum of work carry us through.

Where's the Incentive for Breaks?

But that inertia and momentum is precisely why so many of us cannot-- or more honestly, WILL not-- take breaks. 

Like all else that feels scarce, what do we do if we need more of it and can't get it? Do we really want to layer on a NEW instance where we have to deplete ourselves before we feel OK to have something that keeps us fully functioning? Do we really want such a little taste of something that is actually needed throughout our days, only to then realize there's no way we can keep up with it?

Is it really worse if we just skip taking a break, knowing that once we take that first one, we'll probably need so many others?

Don't We All Know How Important Breaks Are?

Yeah, kinda... 

Well, actually... 

No, not really. 

Maybe we've all heard how important breaks are, but we haven't heard, read, or understood the actual data behind it, and that may be part of why we aren't sure what to do with the "breaks are important" comments. 

Research consistently shows that short, thoughtful breaks improve focus, energy, and sustained performance across the day (Trougakos & Hideg, 2009). Even brief periods of psychological detachment from work allow cognitive resources to recover so people can return to tasks with greater clarity and persistence (Sonnentag & Fritz, 2015).

Yeah, I know... this is the intellectual stuff. The "what we already know" stuff, and if what I listed above surprised you, then I'm glad for that(!), but my guess is most of you aren't surprised.

But think about how we manage maintenance, and WHY we manage maintenance, for everything else that requires consistent and predictable performance. Notice I'm not talking about HIGH performance, but ONLY consistent and predictable performance. That's the performance that endures, and that is what companies need to do well.

Machines: yup, they need maintenance and at least SOME down-time. 

Athletes: yup, they need maintenance AND recovery. 

Working animals and even pets (who work to delight us every day): yup, maintenance, care, recovery...

So What Do We Do?

First, learn how to stop. Learn to put inertia and momentum in perspective. Stopping and walking away for a short time uses a lot of skills: discipline, perspective, trust, belief, and care for ourselves, too. So, if you're the type of person who feels they can't take a break because then it all falls apart, it's time to learn some skills because NOT taking a break is the more assured way for everything to fall apart.

Second, understand-- truly understand-- the value of breaks and why you will be taking them.

Third, step into reality: it's OK to take more than one break and breaks can be non-traditional. For example, they don't have to be a break from work. If you're babystepping into developing a habit of taking breaks, then don't worry about taking a break from work just yet; instead, take a break from HOW you work.

This might look like stepping away from a screen and capturing your thoughts or thinking through a problem or planning something out on a piece of paper with a pen instead of on a screen with a keyboard and mouse. Writing and drawing is a form of creativity, even when it's about work, so this might be the microstep many of you need. It gives your brain a much-needed break, and you'd be surprised how a simple change to HOW you're working offers some restorative value.

The goal is to avoid exhaustion, depletion, cloudy vision, poor overall health, the inability to perform at work, and a stifled creativity such that you are no longer capable of thinking critically or solving easily.

Booster for the Week!

Here's a great article from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill that I think will offer meaningful insights for anyone needing that final push to take a break (and the article is called, "Taking a Break"). 

Enjoy!! 

With kindness,

Christa

(Helpful? Interesting? Please feel free to forward and invite others to subscribe at askchrista.com/newsletter.)

References

Sonnentag, S., & Fritz, C. (2015). Recovery from job stress: The stressor detachment model as an integrative framework. Journal of Organizational Behavior, 36(S1), S72–S103. https://doi.org/10.1002/job.1924

Trougakos, J. P., & Hideg, I. (2009). Momentary work recovery: The role of within-day work breaks. In S. Sonnentag, P. L. Perrewé, & D. C. Ganster (Eds.), Research in occupational stress and well being (Vol. 7, pp. 37–84). Emerald Group Publishing. https://doi.org/10.1108/S1479-3555(2009)0000007006 

(remember: most public libraries in the USA offer access to academic papers; however, if yours does not, then Google these papers to see where they are listed, how you can learn more about them, and how you can find similar papers to learn more about conflict management and conflict resolution in the workplace)