Boost Productivity and Well-Being: Harness the Power of Breaks in Meetings

Your back to back meetings are increasing beta waves that build up stress in your brain.

It is time to rethink your schedule that includes small reset breaks.

Microsoft‘s Work Trend Index shows that 54 percent of respondents feel overworked, while 39 percent described themselves as outright exhausted.

Here are some reasons behind this trend and ways to address it:

The Stress Buildup: Continuous meetings without breaks increase beta waves, associated with stress. Breaks allow the brain to “reset,” preventing stress accumulation.

Transition Stress: Jumping directly from one meeting to another causes spikes in stress levels. Breaks smooth this transition.

Breaks Enhance Focus: Participants with breaks showed positive frontal alpha asymmetry, correlating to higher engagement. Without breaks, engagement dropped.

Alternative Communication: Consider other modes like email or chat for more dynamic or simple tasks. It can save time and energy.

The Power of Meditation: Participants who meditated during breaks started their next meeting more relaxed, with no buildup of stress across four video calls.

The era of back-to-back meetings is proving unsustainable.

Breaks are not a luxury; they are a necessity for mental well-being and optimal performance.

What are your thoughts re: back to back meetings?

#futureofwork #meetings #productivity

Data: Microsoft Research