Someone at work ever tell you they’ve “got a case of the Mondays”? Well having low energy at the office is something many of us go through at some point – and the solution is to take a break – and take a lot of them!

Your boss might find taking too many breaks as a negative, but a new study shows that “microbreaks” can help boost performance – helping us bounce back from morning fatigue and improving your skillset in the afternoon.

Microbreaks are just that – micro – five minutes is usually enough – and it shouldn’t be scheduled; it’s in your employers best interest to let you take it when you need to to help manage energy and work productivity throughout the day.

A microbreak can be a snack, a chat with a coworker, some light stretching – even a crossword puzzle – and the more tired you are at the beginning of the day – say, after a poor night’s sleep – employees that took more microbreaks were able to maintain their energy as the day went on.

Researchers also found if employees believed their employers cared about their workforce, then they’re more likely to take these breaks – they felt more empowered, and it was ultimately good for both the employer and the employee.

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