Recent research shows that people are more likely to take “microbreaks” at work on days when they are tired – but that’s not a bad thing. The researchers found that microbreaks appear to help tired workers bounce back from their morning fatigue and engage in their work better over the course of the day.
There is a question that microbreaks, which are a brief relief, are voluntary and immediate in the working day. Microbreaks include optional activities such as snacking, chatting with a colleague, stretching or working on a crossword puzzle.
“Microbreak, by definition, is short,” says Sophia Cho, co-author of a paper on the work and associate professor of psychology at North Carolina State University. “But a five-minute break can be golden if you take it at the right time. Our study shows that it is good for a company to give employees autonomy in terms of taking microbreaks when they are needed – it helps employees effectively manage their energy and engage in their work throughout the day. “
The new paper is based on two studies that examined issues related to microbreaks in the working day. In particular, the studies aimed to improve our understanding of how people stimulate or maintain their energy levels throughout the day to engage in work even when they start the workout. already tired day. The studies also examined the features that may play a role in determining whether people were taking microbreaks, or what they did during those microbreaks.
The first study surveyed 98 employees in the United States. Study participants were asked to complete two surveys per day for 10 consecutive working days. The inspections were completed in the morning and at the end of the working day. The second study included 222 employees in South Korea. This study had participants conduct three studies per day for five working days. Study participants completed the studies in the morning, after lunch and at the end of the workday.
Study questions in both studies aimed to collect data on each study participant’s sleep quality, obesity levels, as well as their work engagement and experiences in the workplace that day. In the studies, the researchers analyzed the survey data with statistical tools to examine daily variations in sleep quality, fatigue, work behavior, and participation in different types of microbroaks.
The results were simple: on days when people were already obese by the time they got to work, they tended to take micronutrients more often. And by taking microbreaks they helped maintain their energy level. This has helped them to meet job demands and engage in better work.
“Basically, microbreaks help you manage your energy resources throughout the day – and that’s especially beneficial on days when you’re tired,” Cho says.
In addition, the researchers found that people were more likely to take microbreaks if they felt their employer cared about the health and well-being of employees.
“When people think their employer cares about their health, they feel more empowered to make informed decisions about when to take microbreaks and what kind of microbreaks should be. right to take, ”Cho says.“ And that’s ultimately good for both the employer and the employee. “
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The paper, “Daily microbreaks in the lens of autonomous resources: a climate of health seen as a contextual moderator through microbreak independence,” is published in the Journal of Applied Psychology. The paper was co-authored by Sooyeol Kim of the National University of Singapore, and by Youngah Park of the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign.
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