Take frequent breaks to avoid fatigue at work

If the high pressure and longer work hour is taking a toll on your health lately and if you want to experience better health and increased job satisfaction, regular short breaks are better than longer breaks, suggest experts. Health and fitness specialists are of the opinion that instead of taking a conventional lunch break, smaller breaks throughout the workday replenishes more resources -energy , concentration and motivation. Here are some ways you can steal those moments without compromising on work.

-Plan your day in advance

By planning your work activities in advance you get an exact idea of how much work you need to accomplish that day. Spread the work evenly and also plan your free time. "Planning is the key to a life without stress. Even if you have a few surprises at work, you will be well-equipped to handle them," says Dr Amrapali Patil, yoga and wellness expert. She also suggests doing a bit of stretching and destressing exercises during the breaks.

-Seek assistance

If you feel the task at hand is too much for you to handle alone, ask your colleagues to help out. There is no harm in seeking help from your co-workers.Taking too much work and not able to finish it on time or doing a shoddy job will only impact your reputation. In return, help out others as well on your slack day . This will also help you in building a support system at work which will come handy during crisis.

-Do something creative to de-stress

You may feel tempted to rush to the coffee machine every time you think of taking a break. According to Emily Hunter, a researcher, who is working on stress issues faced by the employees at work, find something creative to do during your break that unwinds you -doodling, reading, listening to music -the idea is to engage in activities that are going to make your breaks much more restful, provide better recovery and help you come back to work stronger.

-Have an early break

Do not wait till you really feel stressed and hungry to take a break. A study suggests taking an early break helps employees to be better equipped for long work hours. "We found that when more hours had elapsed since the beginning of the work shift, fewer resources and more symptoms of poor health were reported after a break," a study done by researcher Cindy Wu, said. "Therefore, breaks later in the day seem to be less effective," the study noted.

-Avoid discussing work during the break

The idea of taking a break is to get away from work and stress. If you are going to discuss work with your colleagues at the coffee machine, it would beat the whole purpose. Instead, choose lighter topics.

Also read: Why employees in India are stressed at workplaces