Latest news with #workbreaks
ABC News
28-07-2025
- Health
- ABC News
Australians are working more than ever. But skipping breaks isn't healthy
Do you ever feel like it's tough to take a break at work? If you're busy, or in the zone, it can be easy to do. But what happens if we consistently don't take our breaks? "At a basic biological level, your body will slowly start to break down," Kira Schabram, assistant professor of management and organisation at Pennsylvania State University, tells ABC Radio National's This Working Life. Dr Schabram likens the impact of not taking enough work breaks on the body to "deferring maintenance" on important infrastructure. "So you can defer maintenance for quite a while," she says. "But at some point, you're going to have a catastrophic breakdown." So, how do we snap the no-break habit, and achieve a healthier work/life balance? Australians are working more hours than ever before, according to a recent report by the Productivity Commission. But that hasn't equated to an increase in productivity. Dr Schabram says the main reason why many of us don't take enough breaks is internal, "the sense that I can always give more". This is combined with external pressures like demands from a manager or client. She says that many of us equate breaks with slacking and believing our work is "too valuable". A study that examined people who work at animal shelters, co-authored by Dr Schabram, found that workers who viewed work as "their calling" were often the ones who wouldn't take breaks. "A lot of them feel this moral compulsion to keep working, to keep self-sacrificing. And that profession has a really high turnover rate because of it," she says. The research found that staff who took breaks and viewed work as a team effort were more likely to thrive. "A lot thought, 'I care more than anyone else, I have to keep doing this'. Whereas others thought: 'We're in this together, so I can rely on other people to take over when I clock out'." Vanessa Miles, an organisational psychologist, says there are three categories of symptoms to look out for when you are due for a break: She suggests that when these symptoms appear, you can apply a strategy called "habit stacking". Habit stacking is a technique to help individuals build new habits by attaching them to existing routines. "For example, every time you go to put the kettle on, you might do a quick body scan," Ms Miles says. She explains this could involve taking a moment to check for any tension in your body. It could also include applying the 5-4-3-2-1 exercise, which consists of asking yourself a series of questions. "What are five things that I can see right now? What are four things I can hear? Three things that I can touch? Two things that I can smell? And one thing that I can taste. Really simple," she says. "You're just taking a couple of seconds, but the habit stacking is what actually encourages you to do it because it's anchored onto something that you're doing already." Dr Schabram's research identified three different strategies workers use to take breaks. The first is taking "hidden breaks", when employees step away from work in secret. "People recognise they need a break, and they also understand that there's too much pressure for them to look busy, so they feel they have to hide it," she says. Her research found that hidden breaks are common, but lack any benefit. "People don't come back from those breaks feeling more restored … and they often express negative emotions," she says. The second strategy involves employees finding a compromise in their work schedule so they can take a break when they need to, and have more autonomy over their workflow. Dr Schabram says that for a long time, it was believed the only effective work break was a "complete break", such as a walk or doing a leisure activity. But research has shown that employees are more productive when they have autonomy over their schedules. "Compromise strategies really seem to be maximally effective, and individuals aren't just more productive afterwards. They also report greater well-being," Dr Schabram says. The final break strategy is status, which means people take their break without compromising or hiding it. This can be implemented by leaders in workplaces to define the culture around breaks. "As a leader, taking overt breaks and role-modelling that's OK can make all the difference," Dr Schabram says. So if you're starting to snap at colleagues who chew loudly in the office, or you have a neck ache that won't go away, it's probably time to implement more breaks in your day. Feeling tired after returning to work? Mel Kettle is a leadership communication strategist and she uses work meetings to achieve this. "When I have meetings, I try to schedule them for 25 or 45 minutes so that I can have a break in between," she says. "I will always aim to keep 30 mins free between meetings so I can go for a walk or just take a break when I need to." When it comes to changing our mindset, Dr Schabram says we need to ask ourselves what type of break we need. "The way I would suggest you think about breaks is [to ask yourself]: 'What is depleted?' And what are you trying to refill with that break?'" Depending on your answer, you may need to start small by implementing micro-breaks, says Ms Miles. "You don't have to go for half-hour walks every time you take a break. Just a short, frequent break of two to three minutes is effective too." She adds that looking at your schedule and finding natural points in your day is key to retraining yourself. But more work breaks may not be the solution. For those experiencing the symptoms of burnout (exhaustion, inefficacy and cynicism), Dr Schabram says a "transformative break" may be needed. "You have to do that off the treadmill." Whatever your needs may be, Ms Miles says it's important to prioritise things that make you happy.
The Independent
07-07-2025
- Climate
- The Independent
Compulsory breaks for food delivery riders as Greece heatwave persists
Greece has introduced mandatory work breaks for outdoor manual labour and food delivery services in regions where temperatures are forecast to exceed 40 degrees Celsius. The labour ministry's order prohibits these activities from midday to 5pm in central Greece and several islands, with employers also advised to offer remote work options. This measure comes as a heatwave is set to grip the country until Thursday, following similar extreme temperatures experienced across Europe. Greek authorities are implementing long-term strategies to address the effects of climate change, including the deployment of a record number of firefighters this summer. The country has recently battled significant wildfires, including one on Crete that necessitated the evacuation of 5,000 tourists, and another near Athens.
Fast Company
12-05-2025
- Health
- Fast Company
Mars Petcare teams with mental health company Calm to help your pet become your ‘well-being superhero'
If you've ever felt like your pet knows exactly when to pull you away from the stress of your computer screen, you aren't alone. A landmark study surveying over 30,000 pet owners in 20 different countries found that 78% of dog or cat owners report that their pets remind them to take breaks during work or tasks, with 50% of the participants saying this happens daily. The study, which was conducted by YouGov on behalf of Mars, is the largest international survey of its kind in the world. The findings resonated deeply with David Reilly, global VP at Mars. 'If my dog's at daycare, I don't take a break at lunch time,' he says. 'But if my dog's not at daycare, somehow miraculously, I find the space to create up an hour to take my dog on a walk.' Knowing that his relationship with his own pet had such an impact on his mental health, Reilly was excited by the data. 'I think 46% of people globally report their mental well-being is their number-one health priority and 56% of the population of the world has a pet. So if we can help unlock this idea that the pet could be your well-being superhero . . . then there's a real opportunity there,' he says. To do this, the Mars team needed to seek further expertise. 'We have a deep knowledge of pets and we actually have a deep knowledge of the bond between people and pets. But we aren't experts in human mental health,' says Reilly. The solution was to collaborate with consumer mental health company Calm. Together, Mars and Calm collaborated on a collection of content meant to help pet lovers think about their bond with their pets as ways to improve their own well-being. Its launch marks the first pet-inspired collection featured on Calm. The content on Calm will include: A series of sleep stories inspired by the emotional connection between people and their pets. A series of guided meditations meant to help listeners reflect on the ways pets support their mental wellness. A series of breathing exercises. On Mars's pet advice platform Kinship, Mars and Calm are launching the interactive quiz My Pet Guru, which helps pet owners learn which of six 'wellbeing superpowers' their pet has based on questions about their personalities and behaviors. 'Together, we're helping more people—and their pets—experience the proven benefits of the human-animal bond through real stories, science-backed tools, and supportive content,' says Greg Justice, chief content officer at Calm. 'Once the insights are rich . . . it doesn't need to be overly clinical' says Reilly. The researchers, pet experts, and content creators, 'worked together to find the sweet spot of ensuring that the content was true to what we'd heard, but also really accessible and also engaging for pet owners or other people who love pets.' Mars and Calm are also seeking touching stories from pet owners to inform the wave of pet stories from Calm. 'What I'm looking forward to, honestly, is hearing the stories that people share. Pets genuinely make a really incredible impact on people's lives,' says Reilly.
