6 reasons you need to be taking breaks while working from home
Clinically reviewed by Dr. Chris Mosunic, PhD, RD, MBA
Working from home can offer tons of flexibility but too often your break time is spent doing… more work. Explore 6 benefits of taking a break while working remotely and how to do it.
While you may love the flexibility of working from home, there are times when the lack of structure can cause issues. Who doesn’t love working in your PJs on those rainy days? But if you’re also doing a load of laundry, or running the dishwasher in the background, what’s to stop you from always doing chores on your work breaks? Answer: nothing. And this might be a problem.
In an office, natural breaks happen when you grab coffee with a coworker, or run into your work wife and chat about the latest episode of the show you both love. But when working from home, it’s tempting to fill your break time with other tasks you need to do—like paying bills or answering personal emails—and the result is that you never really get a break.
Here’s the hard truth of it: breaks in your work day are essential. You need to be able to step away from your job and just rest your brain for a minute. If you don’t, it can leave you feeling more exhausted and less productive. Let’s explore the importance of breaks, and the best ways for you to take them at home.
Why breaks are important: 6 benefits of taking breaks while working remotely
If you work from home, there can be this need to prove that you’re working just as hard as you would in an office. And this feeling of wanting to show how valuable you are is totally understandable.
However, over-working to hit max productivity can quickly lead to burn out. And when there’s no one passing by your desk and reminding you to take a lunch break, you might find yourself slamming a sandwich while working on a spreadsheet. Fast-forward to 5pm and you’re exhausted and wondering how much you really accomplished.
Working through breaks can actually have the opposite effect of what you want, and it can lead to you being a lot less productive. By stepping away, even if it's just for a few minutes, you can actually come back refreshed and able to perform your job better for the rest of the day.
Here are six reasons to make breaks a regular part of your work-from-home routine:
1. Better productivity: When you give your brain a rest, you can actually return to work with more energy. This can help lead to you accomplishing more and making fewer mistakes. It also can help prevent you from experiencing burnout.
2. Improved mood and mental health: When you spend long hours in front of a screen, this can lead to a lot of stress and anxiety. But breaks offer you a chance to step away from all that mental load. Small moments like taking a walk in nature, meditating, or even calling a friend can really help improve your mood, lower your stress levels, and give your mind a much-needed reset.
3. Enhanced focus and concentration: After a certain point, your brain just can’t keep going at full speed and you might notice that tasks are starting to take longer. But if you take a break, this can help you sharpen your focus so that you don’t zone out or fall asleep and instead are wide-eyed and ready to go.
4. Reduced physical strain: When you’re working, you can very easily end up sitting for hours without moving. This can lead to aches, stiffness, and even long-term health issues. But if you take a break to stretch, stand up, or walk around, this can help improve your circulation, reduce your muscle tension, and lower the risk of developing back or neck pain.
5. Increased creativity: When you step away from tasks, your brain can then relax and wander, which can create space for more creative brainstorming. If you’re stuck and can’t think, try taking a little break and going on a walk. You might even find that during this walk your best idea of the day pops up.
6. Stronger work-life balance: When you work from home, it can be hard to distinguish between “working” and “not working”. It can almost feel like you’re always on. But taking a break can help create a boundary and remind you to stop “work stuff” for a minute and just focus on non-work related activities.
How many breaks do you need per day?
There’s no one right answer to how many breaks a person needs per day because everyone is different. Some people might just need one big one, while others might need a bunch of mini ones.
The goal should be to try and find a sweet spot where you’re not taking too many breaks and procrastinating but also you’re taking enough so that you feel rejuvenated. You want your workday to go smoothly and efficiently so that you don’t burnout.
If you’re not sure how many breaks you should take, here are some popular methods you can try that might help you find your sweet spot:
The 52–17 rule: With this rule, you work for 52 minutes, and then take a 17-minute break. It might sound a little specific, but people who use it say that this rhythm helps keep them refreshed without overworking.
The pomodoro technique: With this technique, you break your day into 25-minute work sessions with 5-minute breaks in between. After four cycles of this, you then take a longer break of 15–30 minutes.
Hourly breaks: If more structured methods aren’t your thing, consider breaking for 5–10 minutes every hour to give yourself a reset. And try to aim for at least one longer break (about 30 minutes) around your lunch.
Listen to your body and brain: If your eyes start glazing over or your focus starts drifting, this is your body’s natural way of telling you it’s time for a break. Even if you feel like you haven’t been working that long, take that break and listen to your body. But on the flip side, if you’re in the zone, consider stretching your work session a little longer, and then rewarding yourself after with a longer break.
How to take breaks while working from home
Taking a break while working from home should be easy, right? Your boss isn’t watching over your shoulder and you’re mere footsteps away from your couch (or your bed). But sometimes even though it seems so easy, taking a break feels incredibly hard.
Maybe you feel guilty stepping away from a demanding project. Or maybe you already feel like you’re lucky to be working from home so you should count your blessings, but a real break is doing no work, no tasks, and just resting. Sound difficult? Here are seven tips that can help get you started.
1. Step away from your workspace
Try to get up and leave your workspace when possible. This can help your brain recognize that it’s break time and it can help create a mental separation between work and rest.
Even if you only have a few minutes, try to get outside and take a short walk around the block or even just stand on your balcony. The fresh air and change of scenery can really do wonders for your mood.
Try this: If the weather’s bad, here’s a 5-minute nature meditation that can make you feel like you’re outside on a gorgeous day.
2. Move your body
Your body wasn’t meant to sit in one spot for hours, so try to incorporate movement into your breaks. Stand up and stretch, walk around the house, or even do a few quick exercises (here are some to do with your desk chair). Moving your body can improve your circulation, reduce your stiffness, and help shake off that sluggish “work” feeling.
Try this: If you have more time, try something more active like a short yoga session or even just try dancing-it-out to one of our favorite songs for a couple minutes.
💙 Consider trying Mel Mah’s Daily Move if you’re struggling to get in the mood to be active.
3. Avoid screens when possible
It can be tempting to use breaks to scroll through your phone. But this actually can leave your brain feeling just as tired as before. Instead, try to give your eyes and mind a real rest and step away from any screens.
Your goal should be to entirely rest your brain, not just switch from a work-related screen to a personal one. Maybe consider reading a few pages of a book or even just sitting in silence and enjoying that.
Try this: If you do get a lot of enjoyment from being on your phone during your break, try to use it in a way that feels restorative. Consider playing a relaxing game, or calling a close friend to catch up.
4. Try doing mindful or fun activities
The best kind of break is one that helps you reset your mind and reduce your stress. And mindful activities like meditation and deep breathing can help you do just that.
Also, anything that feels enjoyable and takes your mind off work is usually a good activity to do on your break. So play with your pet or mindlessly draw something — whatever makes you feel good.
Try this: If breathing exercises are your thing, here are 10 types you can try that can help make you feel a little more grounded.
💙 This 60 Second Reset meditation can help you bring a quick dose of mindfulness into your breaktime.
5. Schedule breaks in advance
Treat your breaks like important meetings. They’re non-negotiable and you can’t get out of them because they’re necessary for your wellbeing. Knowing that a break is coming up can help you stay focused during work and also give you something to look forward to.
Try this: If you tend to forget or skip breaks, take a moment right now to block out time in your calendar or set an alarm on your phone. This can help make it that much easier for you to take your break.
6. Disconnect from work tasks
Breaks are meant for rest, not work. Repeat this to yourself and try to take it to heart. It’s not time to catch up on emails or answer messages from your coworkers. Even if that seems easy, or even fun, this can keep your mind in “work mode,” and doesn’t really give you a break.
Instead, use this time to focus on things that are unrelated to your job so that you can properly unwind and recharge. (If you struggle with work/life balance, here are eight ways to stop thinking about work all the time.)
Try this: When you work from home, it can be easy to turn every break into folding laundry or cleaning. But try to avoid this and just rest — unless these types of activities really do relax and restore you.
Taking breaks while working from home FAQs
How often should you take breaks working from home?
It’d be so nice if there was a set number of times we should all take a break. But really it just depends on what works best for you. A good rule of thumb though is to try to take a short break every hour, even if it’s just for 5–10 minutes. This can help to keep your mind sharp and also help to prevent burnout.
When you don’t take regular breaks, your work can really suffer and you can very easily get drained. So as much as possible, try to pay attention to how you feel and take a break when your focus starts to slip.
And if you’re struggling to find a break style that works for you, here are two methods you could try:
The 52-17 rule: With this rule, you work 52-minutes and then take a break for 17-minutes.
The Pomodoro technique: With this method, you work for 25-minutes and then take a 5-minute break.
What are some tips to maximize breaks while working from home?
Giving yourself a proper moment to rest isn’t always second nature. And even when you do give yourself a moment, sometimes you’re too tired to even think of ways to properly give yourself a break.
So if you struggle with maximizing your breaks, here are five tips that can help you out:
Step away from your workspace: Go for a walk. This can help restore you.
Practice mindfulness: Listen to a guided meditation to help relax your brain.
Put down your phone (if possible): Even just a few minutes without a screen can help reset you.
Move your body: Movement can help to reduce your physical strain. Here are seven exercises to try.
Schedule breaks: Put them in your calendar. This can help make sure that you actually step away regularly.
How can I remind myself to take regular breaks?
Sometimes we can think that our schedules are too jam-packed for breaks. But there’s always time for breaks. You just might need to build them in. Try to remind yourself that even just standing and stretching for a few minutes can really help to refresh you.
If you’re someone who tends to get lost in your work, consider using visual reminders like sticky notes or even possibly setting an alarm for yourself to help make sure you get your much needed break in.
And if reminders aren’t your thing, consider tying breaks to specific tasks. So if you like walking, maybe plan to go for a walk after you finish a project or complete a call.
Is it okay to take breaks whenever I feel tired, or should they be scheduled?
If you’re tired or your body’s becoming stiff, it’s okay to take a break. Spontaneous breaks allow you to respond to how you’re feeling in the moment and can really help to slowly get you feeling like yourself again. If you’re someone who likes a little more structure though, scheduled breaks can also be great.
Neither style is better than the other. It really just depends on what you respond to best. And a lot of times the best style is a mixture of both. The important thing is to try to avoid ignoring your fatigue, as that can decrease your productivity and also negatively affect your mood.
Can taking too many breaks reduce productivity?
Breaks are a great use of your time. They can help boost your productivity and also prevent mental fatigue. But at the same time if you take too many breaks, you might not get your work done.
The goal though is to try for some balance. Aim to take short breaks every hour and then one longer break around your lunchtime. This usually is a good system for most people.
Also, a good rule of thumb is to make sure that your breaks actually feel like downtime. Even if it’s tempting, try not to do another form of work during your break because then your off time might not actually be restorative.
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