The Coffee Break. Is It the Next Thing to Go?

One tired HR woman, I quickly opened my copy of this month's Harvard Business Review to take a closer look at the article, Coffee Breaks Don't Boost Productivity After All.

What? Are coffee breaks counterproductive?

In the companion interview, Boost Your Productivity with Microbreaks, Charlotte Fritz defended her finding that taking short breaks during the workday doesn't revitalize you - unless you do something job related and positive, such as praising a colleague or learning something new.

I read through the article and the interview and what struck me more than her findings on coffee and microbreaks, which I agree with BTW in terms of my self and my workday, is the idea of mentally disengaging from work.

"We have that time where we really engage in the work intensely, but then other times that we really let go of it."

Letting go is where I lose it. I have a hard time shutting down at the end of the day. During the work day, not a chance. It's a marathon from the start to finish and no cup of coffee (even with all the co-worker praising in the world) is going to give me the recovery I need.

Charlotte says she wants to "keep focusing on the idea of recovery at work. . . really looking at the things that we can do within the workday that help us keep or stay energized."

Recovery during the work day so I can come home with energy to spare is something I can get behind and I'll be waiting - with coffee in hand - to see what she finds. In the meantime . . .

What do you do to recover during your work day?