Work Besties Who Podcast
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Work Besties Who Podcast
The Power of Breaks
Feeling Burnt Out? You Might Just Need a Break (Literally).
In this powerful episode of Work Besties, Jess & Claude dive into why taking breaks at work isn’t lazy—it’s essential. Discover the surprising science behind how breaks can actually boost your productivity, creativity, and focus, and learn why skipping them may be killing your performance.
They unpack:
- Why your brain needs downtime to stay sharp
- How to use breaks to prevent burnout
- Quick, actionable ways to reset your mind and body (even on a busy day)
- How connecting with your coworkers on a break can improve your mood and your work
If you're constantly powering through the day, this episode will change how you work—for good. Stick around to the end for their top tip that instantly recharges your brain in 90 seconds or less.
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Work Besties! Theme Song Written by Ralph Lentini @therallyband
Hello everyone, welcome back to Work. Besties, burn out is real, but here's the truth Taking breaks isn't slacking. It's the secret to working smarter, not harder. In this episode, we're going to break down the science of why stepping away really does boost your focus, creativity and overall well-being. Plus, we're here to share some tangible, actionable tips to make your breaks more meaningful, whether you're doing them by yourself or with a work vest.
Claude:And we will try to do it as well, because we don't always do it.
Jess:So stick around to the end for a challenge that could transform your work day and your friendships. Trust us, this is the break you don't want to miss.
Claude:Hi, I'm Claude and I'm Jess. We are corporate employees by day, entrepreneurs by night and work besties for life.
Jess:Join us as we explore how work besties lift each other up, laugh through the chaos and thrive together in every industry. Work besties Great. So this is all about breaks and the power and interesting elements of what breaks can do for us. So I'm going to start off because you know I love fun facts. You like fun facts?
Claude:I'm a big fan of fun facts you like insights, all that insights and what the science behind things mean.
Jess:So I have a very fun, compelling fact for you. I wrote it down so I don't get it wrong. Did you know taking regular breaks can boost your productivity by up to how long?
Claude:40% 40%, 40%. Yes, it's so funny because it seems counteractive, counterintuitive.
Jess:Thank you.
Claude:Right, because you would think I cannot stop. I have to work.
Jess:That you would get more done by just charging through it. No, in fact, a study by the Journal of Applied Psychology found that when you explore those little bit of breaks, even if they're micro breaks, that your mental performance improves. What is?
Claude:micro break Like what do you consider Great?
Jess:question. So micro break could be taking anything from about a 30 second to like a five minute break away from whatever you're doing to really kind of get your mind away from it to think about something else. So think about like you're working on your computer nonstop, really at a well, I'll talk about mine creating a compelling PowerPoint presentation that's going to tell you the next biggest thing that's happening with certain consumers and where they're going to go. It really would make more sense after about 30 minutes to an hour to take that step back and take at least a 30-second break to just stop, Don't look at your computer and really think about something else before you get back into it.
Claude:And that will make us more productive.
Jess:Right, because what it's doing is it's improving your mental fatigue. So if you're staring at a computer, especially a computer screen, or even if you're staring at an individual or in you know, a team meeting or a brainstorming session or something of that nature, if you're staring nonstop into this group and so mentally and physically right your eyes too focused, that it actually, over time, it causes you to almost exert yourself, let's say so. Just taking those little bit of breaks will help get you back right into it that's so cool and I know that you.
Claude:You saw there are a lot of studies there's a lot of them out there there was one that actually I did like from the Harvard Business Review, and it says breaks are essential for creative problem solving. So they explained that when people step away from mentally taxing tasks, their minds continue working on the problem subconsciously and leading to breakthroughs when they return, and that is I mean kind of on.
Claude:I think we all yeah yeah, we I think we all experience that that sometimes you stay away from your computer from anything and just start your mind start going away and that's why you get your problem solving Right.
Jess:I know it's always like do you ever find I do this a lot where you come home and you want to take a shower to relax before you get ready for bed, or even early in the morning and you're in the shower and you think of the answer to all those problems? Oh yeah, I do that all the time. You redo the world, the world yeah, so like you're. You've been in an eight hour meeting thinking about what are the five things we can do to fix this yeah and it probably takes you all day to come up with four and you're like I can't think of a fifth.
Jess:You get in the shower in like five seconds. You're like, bam, I got the.
Claude:So I had one that is not very healthy but it did work at the time and I was a smoker right A lot of time and your old work besties in the train to helping me also to stop that. It's been three months, woohoo, but before that, a lot of time, I was going outside to have my cigarette and a lot of time I was resolving things, things, yeah.
Claude:So so it wasn't. Obviously it wasn't the cigarette, right, but it was actually stepping out of the environment where I was to be able and that when yeah, it was so this goes back to that the applied psychology study that was done, the applied journal of psychology.
Jess:Their comment was that during this 30 second to five minute break you should really step into some type of physical element. And that doesn't necessarily mean you have to like get up and do stretching or jumping jacks, although that would be good. It literally could be something as simple as walking outside and looking at nature, or even just hydrating, getting a big glass of water or gulping it and just taking that step away. So while the smoking is not the best part, there's the most positive for you what you did.
Claude:Do that was positive, you got outside of the element.
Jess:You walked away from the element you were in and you're in nature. You're standing outside looking at other things, breathing different air, and all of that like different air. I didn't say it was healthier for you.
Claude:air it's probably filled with congestion. Yeah, and what they were saying also that this phenomenon often referred to as incubation, incubation. That's how you say it, Thank you. Incubation explains why many people experience aha moments while engaging in unrelated activities. Totally makes sense. Yeah, so that's when you have your aha in the shower outside.
Jess:Sometimes I have it too when I'm running. So again, like your physical endorphins or something else going on, because I tend to think, or even I used to listen to music, now I listen to podcasts. But whatever you're doing on those things to kind of think about you, you're kind of almost wiping your brain clean yeah, yeah to help give you that it's like exercising.
Claude:You're exercising your brain yeah, I would not know it's like quitting smoking.
Jess:You're trying every day, just to strengthen a new.
Claude:Every day is something um, but you know, yeah, and and it's so funny because a lot of time, when even you, you know, when you come and see me or I come and see you and say, hey, let's get up and have a coffee or something, no, I don't have time, I have to finish that, and meanwhile we've been there for an hour on our computer type type. It's actually. We have to learn that it is okay. It's even better to step out.
Jess:Yeah, they say that, in addition to the performance, you're going to be a little bit more rejuvenized, have a little fresher perspective. You also are a little bit more accurate too, because if you're just plugging away at stuff, so you're right. I think I did that to you like twice this past week, where you come to me and I'm like don't have time, I should just take the 30 seconds or a couple minutes to walk, but it's all of us, right, it's all of us.
Claude:And they say also that less errors, like when there was, like the data entry or whatever.
Jess:It was the 2020 study that was published in the journal observed employees in an office setting and found those who took microbikes on average about five minutes to just stretch, get some water or briefly disconnect experienced a substantial increase in task accuracy and reduction in errors in all types of repetitive work. So you're right, it was like data entry type stuff, so you got good memory, yeah, yeah.
Claude:So it was so funny at some point, I mean for the little story. So because I'm don't go downstairs anymore and I was telling my team, each time I want to have a cigarette, I'm doing push-ups against the wall. Have you done that I've been doing you have how buffer your arms? Not enough. By the end of this year, you're gonna be like oh, I'm going to be like you'll be bench pressing me that's not hard.
Jess:You're so light sure, okay, um, so why don't we move into some recommendations then for our work? Bestie community want to go first.
Claude:What is your first? Recommendation so one is be intentional. So it's almost like doing, like setting up a meeting right like you know you're going to work. You have a project that I don't know it's going to stay. You think it's going to take one hour. Yeah, Put on your calendar put it on like a little you know on your phone like an alarm clock or whatever.
Jess:After 20 minutes boom take a three minute break three minute break.
Claude:Go around, have some water, stretch anything and then go back Get into it.
Jess:Yeah, Well, it kind of bleeds into my mind. I know we tasked each other with coming up with a list, so one of mine was to move your body, which I know you said you were doing, the pushups which made me think about it. But I do think I've started doing this especially at home, but I started doing it in the office too. When I'm on a work call and we're just sitting there for the 45, 50, really 60 minutes or longer, I like get up a couple of times and do like stretches or move around, just to like get yourself back into it. So I don't necessarily take myself out of it, but I still do some stretches and stuff.
Jess:That's a good one so you're still connected, still paying attention. It's like your wall push-ups yeah.
Claude:So some physical exercise. And then another one would be connect with others, like go talk to your co-worker, and you know, like, for example, instead of going and calling or teams, go and walk and speak to them. Have a connection with a co-worker, with your work. Bestie, just say hi, how are you doing? Having this physical intimacy is going to help you get away get out of all that yeah, and then you go back and you're refreshed and you're, you're much better.
Jess:I love it so I also kind of stole another one than what I thought about you. One of my ideas was to just change your environment right. So if you're working in the or a different location in the office, I do recommend going outside in nature. That definitely is probably the best. We actually have a fantastic episode coming up that you can watch about the powers of nature, but I think that is probably one that I'm going to charge myself to do a little bit more. I do it better or more often when I'm working from home, but we still should do it in the office as well.
Jess:Maybe that's something also we could do, and we talked we talked about it like having a walk, yeah even like we don't have lunch, unfortunately, which is really silly yeah, well, now that we have our company is amazing and provides us a lunch that we don't walk outside to get the lunch yeah, yeah.
Claude:So at least go outside and do yeah get the lunch, yeah, so at least go outside and do yeah, Be under the sunlight Like now, Right?
Jess:Does everyone like our new environment, by the way?
Claude:we're in a professional studio, I know Don't get used to it.
Jess:It'll kind of go Um and then another one.
Claude:Something I like also is engaging. Fun break Like, yeah, I like also is engage in fun break. Like you know, have jokes with your worst university, with your co-worker, with you know watch, even like some memes, even though sometimes it's good to step away from your phone, having like more digital day talks but anything that makes you laugh.
Jess:It's like how I used to stress having like more this digital detox, but anything that makes you laugh. Yeah, it's like how I used to I still do it from time to time leverage the Fogel and Grill videos because they're quick videos they're like not even a minute or so and you just either dance with them or watch them doing their quizzes and you're like smiling and laughing.
Jess:So if you're, alone, like if you're a work from home day. That's like a great thing to do. But to your point, if you're in the office, just go talk with somebody and giggle for a couple seconds.
Claude:Do jokes.
Jess:I know, do a stand up routine, just like get up. Yeah, just get up and do a stand up routine. I think, now I'm just going to start bringing tomatoes with me to work. So when I see you stand up, come on, I'm funny.
Jess:All right. Well then, my last one that I came up with was to collaborate with people at your work. It would be amazing if you've got the time to collaborate with your work. Bestie on it, because we've talked on a couple of our episodes how we want to start doing stuff together or try to like we talked about. You just brought up again doing the walks, or. I think we do a great job of meeting before, after work, but maybe during work finding a five, ten minutes to have a coffee even like set up a day.
Claude:Yeah, you know like the same way where you're going to put like your 30 seconds.
Jess:Like to take the break you know, during time, the same thing time it's I mean we'll have to try and do it. It's really hard when you're not in the same department, I know, but we'll try but we'll try. I mean if any of the work besties out there that are not in different or that are in different departments have figured out a hack on this. Feel free to share it to us.
Claude:We're gonna keep trying wait. Who was doing it? The teachers. The teachers do it really good job also vogel and grill actually gave another example no, there's a yeah, there's a lot of other people do it.
Jess:There's some great ideas that are out there yeah, yeah, what works for us, because it's so hard. We're both in nonstop meetings, with different meetings, and, yeah, we'll figure it out, but we're excited to see you guys and see what kind of things you guys are going to recommend out there, and there's a lot of it, so definitely think about ways yeah.
Claude:So let us know what's your go-to break.
Jess:You know, like let's all be together and give each other ideas, take a break and think about it. Dm or tag, dm or tag us. Yeah, actually, what would be funny? You know what would be funny?
Claude:Yes, tag us. Do a story or something and tag us. You know, put it while you're on your break and tag us that would be fun we could have.
Jess:maybe we could do this as the for those that write to us or show us the quickest we can reach out. Maybe they can be on a future episode or I do a live with them.
Claude:Oh yeah, oh yeah. That would be good, we're throwing it out there for your lunch. Okay, do it, do. Okay, do it, do it.
Jess:Do it All right. So I think we've given you a couple of different, and each other too.
Jess:Yes, just because we have to do it too, so we thought we'd throw a little bit more call to attention or things to think about out there. So, thinking about it, we are talking about how breaks are all about productivity, which is definitely a benefit not just to us but to our companies. But think about this as more of a bigger picture, because it isn't just about the productivity. It's also about wellness. It's about keeping you happy, safe, sound and in a much better environment for your full day, because work isn't just all you do. You still have stuff outside of work, whether it's family, friends and stuff.
Claude:And it helps also with burnouts. I think a little bit yeah, for sure. Because it's going to decrease your stress levels.
Jess:So take a break. Yeah, think about it from that bigger picture. Just take a break.
Claude:Claude, take a break. We have to try.
Jess:And engage your WorkBestie community. If it's not your specific WorkBestie at work, which would be fantastic leverage us. We will be more than happy to ping and chat with you on that and, as we mentioned, we'd love to see what you guys share. And then definitely continue to share back with us guys. Um, if you like this episode, we're trying to do a little bit more of the mini micro episodes, like the micro breaks. Uh, tell us about it and give us some ideas of things you might want in a future episode, right?
Claude:Right, so with that, if you liked it like, subscribe and share with your friends.
Jess:Share with your, maybe on your next micro break. Yes, till then, bye. Remember, whether you're swapping snacks in the break room, rescuing each other from endless meetings, or just sending that perfectly timed meme Having a work bestie is like having your own personal hype squad.
Claude:So keep lifting each other, laughing through the chaos and, of course, thriving. Until next time, stay positive, stay productive and don't forget to keep supporting each other. Work besties.
