Q&A talks with Gary Sacks, metro market manager for The Creative Group, about the value of taking breaks during the work day.
Q: A new survey by The Creative Group of advertising and marketing professionals shows leaving the office for lunch increases productivity and creativity. Why do you think that is?
A: Getting away from your office, your desk, really is an opportunity to relax emotionally, to recharge, to not have distractions — even if it’s a few minutes. It can restore a level of energy and overcome a creative block. This applies to many areas of business and breaks. I think often workers who don’t regularly take breaks are increasing their stress levels. Without them, you’re less likely to have strong ties with your colleagues outside of the work environment. If you go on lunch breaks, you’ll have better ties with your colleagues.
Q: On the other hand, almost one-third of the advertising and marketing executives interviewed say it doesn’t make a difference. Why is the advertising community so split on the issue?
A: Which means that for two-thirds, it makes a difference — that’s the minority. The advertising and marketing industry is very fast paced. These folks are used to being on the go. To some degree that’s a cultural thing. They’re meeting with clients and juggling projects. They thrive on that culture and environment. They feel if they’re always busy, they don’t need to take the break.
Q: Not to drill down too much on the results, but there are 9 percent of the marketing and ad execs who take no break at all. Is that symbolic of some kind of corporate machismo? Something along the lines of, “I’m too busy to take a break!”
A: There are times when everybody is busy and some of these people feel they might be too busy and there is no good time to take a break and that’s what those 9 percent feel but it’s only 9 percent. One of the best things a manager can do is encourage staff to take a break. I encourage my people, even if they’re eating at their desks, to get out of the office and recharge and have the stress of the work away from them for a certain time. I’m not one of those 9 percenters. You need to take a break.
Q: Let’s look some more at the exec who doesn’t take a lunch break. What are some of the techniques one can use to work breaks into a busy day? How long do the breaks need to be to be effective?
A: You have to plan your day. Schedule breaks that are natural during the day, between projects or meetings. Do it in a time where there is nothing that is critical or has to be attended to. If you plan your day, you can find those breaks throughout the day. If you can, schedule a lunch with colleagues, even a working lunch is not a bad idea as part of brainstorming. You are working but at least you’re not at your desk or away from the office. Book an appointment. Block off your online calendar so your colleagues don’t schedule appointments during that time. Step away from your desk. If you sit there and stare, someone is going to ask you a question. Step away even if it’s for five minutes. What some people do is as simple as facing their chair away from their desk for a minute or two. Breaks can be as short as catching your breath to recharge your juices. Some days are longer than others. It could be getting a cup of coffee. I don’t think there’s a number on it. You will feel it and know it and be charged back up and ready to go.
Q: Is it possible to be a person who takes breaks in a company that doesn’t have a culture endorsing breaks? Or vice versa? How does one go against the culture of the workplace with success?
A: I don’t think there are too many companies any more that frown upon breaks. I’m not talking about smoking breaks every hour. That’s a whole different issue about health and productivity. There are few companies that I have run across where you are tied to your desk in the creative world. Most companies endorse breaks. If they don’t and you do some of these minor breaks like getting up from your desk for five minutes or eating in a break room, I think they will be very easily accepted. There will be no objections. Even five minutes away from your desk to stretch and recharge your batteries is not going to have any clash of cultures. People are more productive when they get away from their desk during the day.
Q: What’s the purpose behind the survey? What does it hope to achieve? After all, most people would probably agree that breaks are needed but then are not doing anything about it.
A: The Creative Group and all of our lines of business at Robert Half International are constantly doing surveys on career and management issues. It’s really about sharing data and helping people manage their careers better, giving people data and thoughts to make them aware of things they’re doing and maybe not doing right. The bottom line is to help people in their career development.
