Taking short breaks during the working day is often encouraged to prevent mental fatigue, but a study has found that stop-start work might actually increase mental exhaustion.
A study that simulated a typical working day in an office found that healthy men who took a 10-minute break after every 50 minutes of work were more likely to experience mental exhaustion.
This is because dipping in and out of a task can overstimulate the brain and lead to fatigue, researchers at Lithuanian Sports University’s Institute of Sport Science and Innovations said.
Breaks from work and wellbeing
“Contrary to popular belief, our findings show that taking short breaks during the work day does not improve cognitive function or prevent fatigue,” said Professor Marius Brazaitis, lead author of the study.
“Tasks that require high levels of mental effort deteriorated during the seven-hour period, which may be due to the brain’s high energy needs and its reliance on a steady supply of glucose and oxygen to maintain optimal cognitive performance.”
The study, published in the International Journal of Psychophysiology, used blood and brain scans to monitor the cognitive function, motivation, mood and brain activity in 18 men aged 23 to 29, who completed computer-based cognitive tasks in an office.
It found that short breaks affected participants’ ability to focus, cognitive function, learning and visual recognition.
Even after a four-and-a-half-hour break their cognitive function had not recovered.
Micro-breaks of 10 minutes after every 50 minutes of work have been recommended by the Lithuanian government, but the researchers claimed there was no scientific evidence to back up their effectiveness.
Interrupted flow means that time is taken from task time, as you are trying to remember where you were and pick up on the thought processes when you return from the break, making you less efficient.” – Dr Colin Rigby, Keele Business School
Commenting on the research, Dr Colin Rigby, reader in Enterprise at Keele Business School, said: “The idea that tasks can be broken down to fit within a pattern of breaks becomes a work-related task in itself, thus compounding the work pressure.
“Chopping and changing tasks with breaks can lead to task anxiety. By leaving a task when it is not complete, or at a natural stopping point to fulfill a break obligation, you are doing neither wholeheartedly but watching the clock.
“Also, interrupted flow means that time is taken from task time, as you are trying to remember where you were and pick up on the thought processes when you return from the break, making you less efficient.”
However, Dr Chris Davis, thought leadership manager at the Institution of Occupational Safety and Health, said employers should still encourage staff to take regular breaks for health and safety reasons.
“There is no one-size-fits-all approach here and the frequency and length of breaks should be determined by what activities workers are doing. For example, someone doing physically demanding activity will need different break patterns from someone doing knowledge work at a desk,” he said.
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“The aim of the employer should be two-fold: the need for regular breaks should be reflected in policy and reinforced by organisational culture, not least by leadership and management setting an example; but workers should also, where possible, be empowered when it comes to taking breaks.”
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