7 Reasons to Take Breaks at Work

My job in Chicago began with three months of probation.

I was petrified to leave my desk.

The company provided us with two 15-minute breaks and a half hour

for lunch, but I wasn’t having any of it. I researched, wrote and edited at

full throttle, without interruption, eager to prove my capacity to produce.

After six weeks, my supervisor said my probation period was done, in

half the normal time. I was in!

But my body wasn’t happy. I had developed severe eyestrain. I had

constant headaches, and the muscles in my neck and upper back were

perpetually clenched. My stomach hurt from all the stress.

My heart wasn’t happy either, since I had never really spoken to any

of my colleagues for any length of time. The whole social dimension of

the job was missing.

But I had been too afraid take care of myself until I felt that my job was

secure.

Sound familiar? Fear is just one of the factors chain us to our desks.

Some of us have absorbed an ethic of overwork. Or, we feel pressure to

work efficiently so we can get home to our families.

But experts say taking breaks can improve health and AND make us

more effective on the job. Here are seven reasons to get up, stretch and

walk during working hours:

1. YOUR BODY WILL THANK YOU.

The human body wasn’t designed for sitting at a desk for hours on end.

Eyes, backs, necks, shoulders and wrists benefit when we get up and

move.

2. YOU’LL OPEN THE WAY FOR CREATIVITY.

Very, very few good ideas have ever come to me while I’m at my desk,

pushing myself to finish a project. Many ideas have come during walks

with my dogs, or while doing light housework. Other people get flashes

of inspiration while showering.

Something about physical activity seems to free the mind to create.

3. YOU’LL FIND OUT WHAT’S GOING ON AROUND YOU.

It’s amazing what you can learn about your workplace while chatting

with colleagues over coffee.

4. YOU’LL WORK MORE EFFECTIVELY.

“Work to Live” author Joe Robinson cites several studies showing

that breaks improve productivity. Short intervals for relaxation allow us to

sustain high levels of effort more of the time.

5. YOU’LL LIKE YOUR JOB MORE.

If we never pause to take stock, savor accomplishments, and maintain a

sense of fun, it’s hard to experience job satisfaction. Intense,

prolonged time on task can squeeze the joy out work.

“One of the downsides of being eternal action figures is that we never

arrive anywhere,” Robinson writes.

6. YOU’LL REAP THE BENEFITS OF BUILDING COMMUNITY.

Many of us were raised to think the workplace would reward hard work.

Then we were surprised to find that the workplace rewards people who

are well liked — regardless of whether they work the hardest.

When we take breaks for small talk, we give others a chance to know

and like us — and we can get to know and like them, too.

7. YOU’LL FEEL BETTER AT THE END OF THE DAY.

It’s a lot easier to enjoy family time when we come home with a reserve

of energy and without headaches or pent-up stress.

Sound too radical? It’s okay to start small. You might add a five-

minute break to your workday for a week or two and see what happens.

You may be surprised at the power of stopping to get you where you

want to go.

(c) Norma Schmidt, LLC