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You undoubtedly know it; it's 8:30 in the morning, employees walk into the office. Quickly they grab a cup of coffee and dive behind their screens to answer the first emails. The day is packed with meetings and lunch is again spent behind the screen.
Time for a break? There usually isn't...
Agreed, everyone has busy days, but when these start to pile up, an atmosphere full of tension and a team without motivation is created in the workplace. This is very likely, at least 1 out of 4 Belgians report experiencing stress at work every day.
What's the solution?
Well, much of the solution is at your fingertips. 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 collective break throughout the day, is sacred. In this blog, we walk you through the importance of (healthy) breaks at work.
The importance of taking a break
Taking a break is not only the best part of the day, it also increases productivity and lowers our stress levels. These are facts that are widely known, but what other benefits do those short & quality breaks provide beyond that?
In addition to the question "Why is taking breaks good?" we can, of course, also ask the question "Why is NOT taking breaks bad?". Not taking breaks can lead to a loss of focus resulting in greatly reduced productivity.
When you motivate employees to take regular breaks, you will quickly experience positive effects. In general, small breaks promote decision making ability and sharpen thinking skills. As a result, creativity also gets a boost!
In short, pausing ensures that goals are achieved more efficiently.
Of course, we can distinguish between different types of pauses. A meditation exercise will not have the same effect as eating a healthy snack. Therefore, here we list some of the benefits that certain break activities can have on you and your employees.
Relaxing break
When someone takes a relaxing break, such as taking a moment to read an article or do a lap around the office, it has an effect on his/her state of mind. The employee comes back mentally rested from his break and will feel a lot more powerful again. Moreover, it puts the team in a more positive mood & makes them less susceptible to external stimuli.
Also, taking a break from the physical workplace ensures that the level of performance on tasks will be higher, as the workplace is mostly associated with working and being productive.
Learning something new
Even if it is just a daily Duolingo session, learning something makes a person less tired. It may seem contradictory but everyone knows that boost of productivity when you've just learned something! Therefore, encourage your team to find something that interests them so they enjoy spending their time on it during their break! Preferably this should not be done from behind the computer, although occasionally it can be done of course.
Social activities
A day without a coffee chat is a day not worked. Turns out that these brief social moments around the coffee machine are hugely beneficial to productivity after all! Your team will be in a better mood and general well-being skyrockets. It also gets your employees more involved with each other, resulting in a better team atmosphere, which in turn results in better results.
A healthy lunch or snack
Nutrition is the body's fuel! Many times we see offices where unhealthy cookies and soft drinks dominate the workplace. They may be tasty ... but they have an extremely negative impact on both employee performance and health. So, encourage your employees to eat healthy lunches & snacks throughout the day. This contributes to a healthy work environment and keeps the metabolism going, increasing productivity and avoiding those well-known dips.
Hungry for a healthier snack?
Healthier snacks at the office
Healthier snacks as a corporate gift
