This Working Life It's okay, you can take a break
Mar 1, 2026
Vanessa Miles, organisational psychologist who helps workplaces build break and resilience practices. Kira Schabram, management professor researching work sustainability and breaks. They discuss why breaks protect performance and wellbeing. They cover barriers to pausing, three practical break strategies, timing from micro-breaks to sabbaticals, and how leaders can normalize visible rest.
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Use Compromise Breaks When Busy
- Try compromise breaks by controlling your schedule: front-load work, switch to easier tasks, or take leisure during typical work hours.
- With autonomy these mixed breaks boost productivity and well-being rather than harming them.
Overt Breaks Improve Wellbeing And Need Leaders
- Overt breaks (taking breaks openly) improve well-being but don't necessarily boost immediate performance.
- Status enables people to take overt breaks and leaders who role-model them change organisational culture.
Match Break Type To Burnout Symptom
- Match break type to what you need: exhaustion needs self-care, cynicism benefits from doing something for others, inefficacy can respond to both.
- Kira Schabram links burnout symptoms to targeted break strategies and recommends small gestures.