Why Hustle Culture Is Breaking You (And How To Take Back Control)
Too Busy for Breaks? That’s Exactly Why You Need Them
Hey everyone,
before we get into today`s article, just a quick reminder that last week,
and I went live with video for the first time - a new function within substack. In case you missed it, here`s what one of the attendees had to say:Wish I could have stayed on longer! But the parts I did catch were awesome, great info.
We covered a variety of topics
Exercises for Home-Workouts
How to get back pain under control
Exercises for people with high blood pressure
“I´m 50 + - how to get my health and fitness back
How to start a workout routine without burning out
It was fun and not the last time we went live with video.
Here`s a little clip for you, see the full live session by clicking the green button below.
"Hey buddy, it`s lunchtime, will you join us?"
"I'm sorry, I'm too busy, gotta finish these E-Mails"
Constant back-to-back meetings, emails, and deadlines leave no room for real breaks. The false idea of being in a flow state - when every notification on your iPhone marks a welcome opportunity to interrupt the flow state - is too obvious.
Our attention spans are getting shorter and shorter, leaving almost no room for uninterrupted work.
But taking the right kind of break, which is frequent, shorter, and at least one longer for lunch, to increase focus, energy, and health? Nah, I cannot do that.
What people do:
Skipping lunch breaks: A survey by ezCatwer found that workers are 40% more likely to skip lunch than they were a year prior, with nearly 48% skipping lunch at least once a week. Forbes
Eating at desks: Research indicates that more than 65% of U.S. Professionals stay at their desks for lunch, often leading to increased calorie consumption and reduced opportunities for mental breaks.
The real reason?
People feel guilty for stepping away from work, fearing they’ll look unproductive.
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So breaking out of the race of who has the flattest butt from constant sitting won't be easy. Nobody wants to come across as a slacker.
The hustle culture comes with the illusory pride of being among the elite circle of top performers who are immune to the mental meltdown of uninterrupted work.
But this idea is built on fragile ground: The perception you could do this forever without causing harm - false.
Keep doing this for years and your chances of suffering a burnout, having constant mental fog, and declining performance increase.
Busyness is not the same as productivity.
Two major consequences of work without breaks stand out:
Cognitive Decline: Continuous work without breaks can lead to decreased cognitive performance. A study by Korpela et al. (2016) found that taking lunchtime breaks and detaching from work increases energy levels and decreases exhaustion. Over time, this practice was associated with increased vigor and energy levels.
Health Impact: Neglecting breaks can adversely affect health.
The Cost Of Not Taking Or Not Taking Enough Breaks
Higher stress levels due to the mental load, back pain from prolonged sitting, and overeating: It has been proven that people eat more calories at their desks than if they dine out (stress compensation).
They also snack more throughout the day and the average stored snacks come in at 476 calories.
There`s a good chance that the snack will be eaten because sitting for prolonged hours often leads to cravings for ultra-processed food and sugar.
I hope at this point you are convinced that taking shorter, but frequent breaks makes sense to you.
But won`t my productivity suffer? On the contrary, it will be higher.
Research shows that micro-breaks - those tiny moments of pause during your workday - can be total game-changers. Imagine hitting a reset button in the middle of your workday.
That's what these short breaks do. They boost your energy, fight fatigue, and help you stay sharp.
It doesn't matter if you're coding, teaching, or managing a team - these mini-breaks work across different jobs.
You're not stopping the entire journey, just taking a moment to refuel and check your systems - a quick stretch, a brief walk, or even a few deep breaths can make a massive difference in how you feel and perform.
Breaks shouldn`t be a luxury - they're a necessity for anyone wanting to stay productive and healthy at work.
How To Integrate Breaks Into Your Day
I don`t care if you set a timer when it is in your nature to sit like a statue from Madame Tussauds or if you put it in your calendar.
Everything starts with internalizing that mini-breaks are required to perform for hours on the job and be healthy.
After that, here`s what I suggest you do:
Timing: Schedule short breaks at least every 60 (better every 30) minutes of work. Aim for breaks lasting 5 minutes to maximize benefits without significantly disrupting workflow.
Physical Activity: During your 5-minute breaks, find a mixture of light stretching, walking around, getting some fresh air
Mindfulness Practices: If you are working from home, a breathing exercise can restore energy fast.
Stay Hydrated: Use breaks as an opportunity to drink water. Staying hydrated supports overall cognitive function and energy levels. Many people forget to drink. But once you do, you will have to visit the bathroom more often, a classic win-win situation.
Snack Wisely: Healthy snacks can provide a quick energy boost without causing a crash later. Opt for fruits, nuts, or yogurt during breaks to maintain energy levels.
Limit Screen Time: If your work involves prolonged screen time, avoid using screens during breaks. Instead, focus on non-screen-based activities to reduce eye strain.
Imagine working with better focus not despite but because you take mini-breaks, thus having more energy after work.
Micro-breaks don’t slow you down—they make you faster and sharper.
P.S.: In my coaching, I don’t just tell clients to take breaks—I make sure they integrate them into their high-performance lifestyle.
Once we find that the client suffers from bad sleep, has a tendency to grab unhealthy snacks, sits for prolonged hours, and walks far less than 7k steps per day - a huge red flag, time to react.
Most of them work demanding jobs, so the total workload is high.
Solutions are simple, yet powerful…
It all starts with buying a height-adjustable desk to interrupt prolonged sitting, and raise metabolism and blood flow - thus your energy, focus, and well-being.
In some cases a walking pad to walk while working at a low speed as well.
We identify realistic time windows to eat healthy food and improve sleep quality.
No rocket science, but proven concepts.
A new working week is upon us - take one micro-break every hour and track how you feel. In the beginning, it will cause friction, but try it for one week to see how you feel and if you are less productive.
I predict you will feel better and see no decline in performance.
A lot of great tips here Philipp!
can definitely say that the standing desk has helped me a lot. I couldn’t get the full desk so I bought a topper that sits on the regular desk. I alternate positions every hour between sitting and standing.
The other thing I find useful is to stand up when I’m on the phone and use a headset so I can move around. While I’m talking to a colleague I can step over to the printer, set the kettle to boil for tea, or just slowly pace the hallway in front of the office.