Don't underestimate the power of short breaks during a busy workday.

^{Foto por: Harvard Business Review (Fonte)}

When we think about optimizing our work capacity to achieve desired results, it’s not just about the time available but also the energy available that matters. You might find that when you finally have some time to focus on an important project or task, you’re too exhausted or drained to actually accomplish it.
Taking regular breaks is an essential part of managing our energy to maintain sufficient capacity—not just to be productive but also to prevent burnout, as well as to maintain healthy self-regulation of our emotions and behaviors so that we can have positive interactions with others. When we’re completely drained (or close to it), we’re more likely to be reactive, abrupt, or irritable and take out our frustrations on others, which is not only unpleasant for those involved but can also be counterproductive. Breaks are also particularly important when doing creative work.

Creating a series of small breaks throughout the day can help us manage our energy and maintain cognitive, emotional, and even physical capacity. These brief breaks can last just a minute or five to ten minutes. Just as micro-stresses can build up at work, micro-breaks throughout the day can help counteract their effects.

How to Create Moments of Pause During a Busy Workday

Instead of leaving it to chance when you find a few minutes to take a short break, be intentional and disciplined about creating (and taking advantage of) these moments of pause throughout the day by trying the following strategies:

1. Allow Yourself to Take Breaks
   Many people believe there’s too much to do and that they can’t afford to take a break. Challenge this assumption, whether it’s self-imposed or imposed by others in your organization (or both). Remember that you’re a human, not a machine. Developing a sense of agency and self-direction over how you spend your time during the workday is a fundamental part of growing not just as a leader but as an adult. Flip the script to recognize that you can’t afford not to take breaks—even if they’re small moments of pause—at various points in the day. Role-modeling by taking these regular breaks will also give implicit permission for others around you to do the same.

2. Batch Emails and Other Communications
   It can be tempting to use any free minutes you have to quickly respond to emails or Slack messages to make the ever-growing mountain of communications more manageable or to be as responsive as possible. However, research shows that work takes 50% longer when we constantly switch tasks. This same research also shows that people typically try to compensate for this loss of productivity by working faster. However, doing so only creates more stress, time pressure, and frustration. Blocking specific times to respond to email will allow you to use the much smaller blocks of time you might have for actual breaks.

3. Reset the Default Meeting Length
   Most people have a default meeting length of 30 or 60 minutes. Change your default to 15 to 25 minutes for shorter meetings or 45 to 50 minutes for longer ones. If given more time, people will invariably find ways to fill it. Having a more limited time window encourages everyone to manage meetings more efficiently to fit the available time. You can always make exceptions when necessary.
   Use the remaining five to 15 minutes before the next meeting to get up from your desk and stretch or grab a coffee or snack. You could even send an email or text to a friend to finalize weekend plans and have something to look forward to. Research shows that when you have something positive to anticipate, it can improve your mood and reduce stress.

4. Communicate and Enforce Hard Stops
   If possible, don’t let meetings run over their allotted time. Of course, this is easier to enforce when you’re the one leading the meeting. However, communicating upfront that you’ll have a hard stop at the end of the reserved time (especially when there’s a power dynamic in the meeting) sets the expectation from the start that you’ll leave on time. By doing this, all participants can aim to wrap up promptly. Most people will appreciate this, as it benefits everyone. It’s another way to demonstrate agency over your time. When meetings run over and cause you to be late for the next one, it creates a cascading effect and adds more stress to your day. If you’re running late for the next meeting, taking just 15 seconds to take three deep breaths can help you refocus so you can be present in the next meeting.

5. Use Bathroom Breaks as Opportunities
   The one small break everyone needs to take is going to the bathroom. “Stacking” a new habit onto an existing one is a way to combine something you want to do with something you need to do (like going to the bathroom). For example, after using the bathroom, you could create a new mini-habit and dedicate five to ten minutes to practicing mindfulness, meditating, climbing a flight of stairs, or taking a walk around the block to get some exercise.

6. Schedule Breaks and Set Reminders
   Schedule small breaks into your day when you know your energy is at its lowest—perhaps mid-afternoon. Research shows that our energy is typically lowest around 3 p.m. This is usually when I get up from my desk, feed my dog (a perk of working from home), make an espresso, and enjoy it with a square of chocolate. It’s a treat I look forward to—a moment when I can simply sit for a few minutes away from my laptop. Having a reminder pop up on your computer or phone can also help you remember to take a short break, and there are several apps designed for this purpose.

7. Use a Visual Cue
   Having some kind of visual cue on your desk, computer, or workspace can also serve as a reminder to take small breaks. It could be your coffee mug or water bottle on your desk, a photo of a yoga pose, or a sticky note that simply says “breathe.” These casual reminders can help you carve out moments here and there for an impromptu pause.

8. Have a Routine for Unexpected Breaks
   You can still opportunistically take advantage of unexpected breaks, like when a meeting ends early. Whether it’s listening to music, texting a friend, or stopping by someone’s desk to say hi, knowing in advance how you plan to use unexpected downtime will help you make the most of it. Similarly, if someone else is late for a meeting with you, while you wait for them, use the time to do some seated breathing exercises to help reduce stress and restore your capacity.

The strategies above can help you create multiple moments of pause throughout your workday. By doing so, there will be a cumulative benefit, as you’ll be able to more effectively manage your energy and capacity, helping you become more resilient.

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