Breaks

Breaks are intentional pauses in an activity or process. They can be short or long, planned or incidental, and serve to rest, refocus, manage workload, or mark transitions. Breaks occur in many domains, including work, education, recreation, music, and technology.

In the workplace, breaks refer to pauses during shifts. Many countries require rest breaks and meal breaks by law or collective bargaining; the length and whether they are paid vary. Common forms include short breaks lasting a few minutes to refresh, and longer meal breaks around 20-60 minutes. Practices are influenced by sector, job demands, age, and union agreements.

Health and productivity research generally supports regular breaks to reduce fatigue, prevent eye strain, and maintain cognitive performance. Microbreaks that involve movement or stretching can alleviate musculoskeletal discomfort. Some guidelines suggest taking a break every 20-30 minutes of continuous screen work.

In the arts and media, a break is a pause used for pacing, emphasis, or transition. In music, breaks interrupt a section to create anticipation; in broadcasting, breaks separate segments or insert advertisements.

In technology and computing, a break can denote a pause in program execution, such as a break statement in many programming languages, or a pause in data streams or communications protocols.