Why Breaks Are Essential to Prevent Burnout and Improve Performance

When did taking a lunch break become a luxury? When did a break signal that you're lazy or not good at your job?

There was a time when people actually paused—whether it was to take a walk, grab a coffee, or have a full-on, away-from-your-desk lunch without self-judgement or anxiety of falling behind.

Over the last decade, I’ve noticed a troubling trend: we’ve replaced breaks with inbox cleanups and mini productivity sprints. If it's not that, we're doomscrolling social media, increasing our stress instead of giving our brains a rest. As a workplace culture expert and burnout speaker, I see the effects everywhere I go.

We're skipping recovery time in favor of hustle and distraction—and it's draining our energy, creating decision-fatigue, and decreasing our patience as stress levels rise.

Burnout has now reached a six-year high, and it's no coincidence that breaks have vanished from the modern workday. People are working through lunch, answering emails from bed, and mistaking a scroll through Slack for rest. Let’s be real: that’s not a break. Being “on all of the time” has more consequences than you might realize.

Your Brain Needs Recovery to Perform

Scientific research backs what your body already knows: Breaks aren’t lazy—they’re necessary. According to a study from the University of Illinois, even brief mental breaks during a task significantly improve focus and performance. Without them, our attention fades, our decisions suffer, and our creativity falls. Everything becomes harder. I mean, think about it, have you ever struggled with deciding what to eat at the end of the day? One of those reasons could be that you haven’t given your brain a rest.

Microsoft’s Human Factors Lab took it further: during back-to-back meetings, stress levels rise dramatically—but short breaks between meetings reset the brain, improving focus and reducing mental fatigue. Still think you don’t have time for a break? Try not having time for the mistakes and mental fog that show up when you skip it.

The True Cost of Powering Through

I’ve worked with hundreds of professionals who are running on empty—high-achievers who think pushing through is the answer. Here’s what that looks like:

• Burnout: Physical and emotional exhaustion from chronic overwork.

• Decision fatigue: Every choice feels harder because your brain never gets downtime.

• Disengagement: Lack of energy = lack of motivation = lack of impact.

• Low resilience: When you don’t pause, you lose your ability to bounce back.

And we’re paying for it—in turnover, productivity loss, healthcare costs, and morale.

Bring Back the Lunch Break (Yes, Really)

That’s why I’ve started telling every team and audience I work with: “Bring Back Lunch Again!”

It’s not just a catchy phrase. It’s a wellbeing strategy. One that supports mental health, resilience, and peak performance.

I started blocking my own lunch breaks again—and noticed huge differences:

• I came back with more energy.

• My stress levels declined and my emotional regulation improved.

• My relationship improved as I had more patience.

• I had better ideas.

• I didn’t end the day feeling like I immediately needed to go to bed or mindlessly scroll on my phone.

What to Do During a Real Break

Let’s make your next break actually restorative.

Here’s what works:

• Change your environment: Step away from your desk. Go outside or move your body. 

• Take a walk. A 10-minute walk boosts blood flow to the brain, triggers feel-good hormones like endorphins and serotonin, and reduces cortisol levels.

• Unplug: Put down your phone. Yes, really. Let your brain breathe. Even taking a 90 second breathing break staring at a wall (called Strategic day-dreaming), can help your brain recreate those shower moments. Ever gotten your best ideas in the shower? It’s because you’re unplugged.

• Do something joyful: Journal, doodle, dance, chat with a friend.

• Write a thank you note. Writing a thank you note boosts happiness and connection for both the sender and the receiver.  It can even help the sender reduce anxiety!

• Practice micro-recovery: Deep breathing, stretching, or 5-minute meditations are game-changers.

Remember: a break should recharge your nervous system—not just fill time between tasks.

Final Thought: You Can’t Outwork a Burned-Out Brain

You’re not weak for needing a break. You're not going to fall so far behind that you'll fail.

You'll actually do better, feel better, and show up better because your giving your brain time to reset.

Want a Speaker Who Can Help Your Team Recharge, Reset, and Reconnect? Let’s talk.

I'm Jenn DeWall—a Denver-based workplace culture expert, burnout speaker, and trainer. I help organizations build emotionally intelligent leaders, boost wellbeing, and create teams that perform without burning out.

Whether you need a keynote, a workshop, or “work therapy with a mic,” I bring high-energy, relatable sessions packed with tools your people will actually use.

Email me at hello@jenndewall.com to work with me as a speaker, executive coach, or emcee.