Do you ever feel like you suddenly run out of energy around 2:00 or 3:00 PM?

Coffee stops working, it becomes harder to focus, your eyes feel tired, and tasks that took just minutes in the morning, start dragging on unnecessarily. In such situations, the natural instinct is to try and "power through" to the end of the day. Sometimes, however, the better solution is simply… to pause for a moment.

A "micro-break"—a very short, intentional pause in work lasting anywhere from a few dozen seconds to a few minutes—can help. It isn't about stepping away from your duties for a long time; it’s about changing your posture, giving your eyes a rest, taking a few calm breaths, or doing some light movement.

And no, scrolling through your phone isn't necessarily a good way to rest. If you’ve been staring at a computer screen for hours, another screen might not be what you need at all.

Why take short breaks?

Sitting in one position and working in front of a screen for hours on end contributes to fatigue, muscle tension, and eye strain. Over time, maintaining focus becomes increasingly difficult, and completing tasks requires more effort.

A short break allows you to switch activities for a moment and relieve the areas of your body that are under the most strain while working. Even a minute or two can serve as a signal: we’re slowing down for a moment, changing our posture, and giving ourselves some breathing room.

Not every micro-break has to look the same. It’s worth experimenting to see what works best for you. 

Give your eyes a break – the 20-20-20 rule

Time: about 60 seconds

If you spend a long time working in front of a screen, shift your gaze from the monitor to something further away every now and then—ideally for about 20 seconds. For example, you could look out the window at the trees or focus on another distant point.

The 20-20-20 rule is a simple guideline to help reduce eye strain during close-up work. However, you don’t need to treat it like another task that must be performed perfectly. The most important thing is simply to look away from the screen regularly and focus on something in the distance.

Take a few calm breaths

Time: about 60 seconds

Step away from your keyboard for a moment. Sit comfortably or stand up, and take a few calm, slightly slower breaths.

You can try a simple rhythm: a calm inhale through the nose and a slightly longer exhale through the mouth. There is no need to count seconds or take in a huge amount of air. It is more about slowing down and acknowledging that, for a moment, you don’t have to do anything.

Such a brief pause can help reduce tension and make it easier to return to your task with greater mindfulness.

Get moving

Time: 1–2 minutes

Stand up from your desk. Walk a few steps, stretch, roll your shoulders, and relax your hands. You can raise your arms overhead, do a few gentle shoulder rolls, or lightly stretch the sides of your torso.

You don’t need a specific exercise routine. The main goal is simply to change your position and break up long periods of sitting.

If possible, take a walk down the hall, get some water, or step outside for a moment. Even such a brief change in activity can be a pleasant break from work.

A small break, a big difference

Micro-breaks don’t require an extra hour in your schedule or any special preparation. The biggest challenge is often… simply remembering to take them.

If you tend to work without stopping, you might want to set a gentle reminder. Not to check every ten or fifteen minutes whether you are "resting properly," but simply to remind yourself that it’s worth stepping away from the screen for a moment.

You can also combine a micro-break with something you do during the day anyway—for instance, after finishing a meeting, sending a few messages, or completing a specific task, you could stand up, stretch, and look out the window.

It’s not about working less; it’s about not waiting until you are completely exhausted before you rest.

Sometimes, just two minutes is all it takes.