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Since the industrial revolution up to our present-day society, we all have worked 8-hour shifts, day-in and day-out—five days a week!
Frankly, the routine can get quite tiring. That’s why we need to take regular breaks from work—to disconnect, recharge, and come back refreshed.
In this article, we’ll be talking about:
In the past, working an 8-hour shift used to be an effective approach. It was a humane effort to cut down the hours of strenuous manual labour workers were subjected to on the factory floor.
But in the context of the modern-day, white-collar employees, it’s outdated and ineffective!
A study conducted by the Draugiem Group used a computer application called DeskTime to track the work habits of employees. The app measured how much time people spent on their tasks and compared it to their productivity levels.
From the study, researchers found the employees’ productivity level results intriguing; the typical length of a workday didn’t really matter—it’s how they structured their day that made an impact.
Specifically, the employees who regularly took microbreaks at work were a lot more productive compared to the people who powered through and worked with minimal breaks.
The results of their study aren’t surprising, nor are they new—our focus and energy naturally ebb and flow.
Biologists call this as a part of Chronobiology—a field in Biology that examines the cyclic phenomena in living organisms. The study includes, but are not limited to, comparative anatomy, physiology, genetics, molecular biology, and behaviour.
That’s why we have periods of focus and high energy—an increased level of productivity, followed by a decline, or an ebb.
Now, it is annoying, but that’s the sad reality—we’re not robots.
So here’s a simple workaround to our biological limitations: we should actually take regular breaks at work.
Related Article: Is failure the key to career growth?
Before we start about how to take microbreaks at work and what the amazing benefits of having a break at work are, let’s talk about why it’s crucial to take regular breaks.
Now, the list isn’t long but adverse effects have a funny way of impacting our lives later on:
First in the list is decision fatigue.
Decision fatigue refers to the idea that our willpower to make sound decisions deteriorates in quality as we deplete our limited mental resources throughout the day.
As Jonathan Levav, Associate Professor of Business, from Stanford University puts it:
“Decision fatigue helps explain why ordinarily sensible people…can’t resist the dealer’s offer to rustproof their new car.”
The effects of decision fatigue— reduced the ability to make trade-offs, decision avoidance, impulse purchasing, and impaired self-regulation—are subtle in the beginning and later snowball into bigger problems.
Roy Baumeister and Kathleen Vohs, co-authors of several studies on decision fatigue, willpower, and self-control, suggest that decision fatigue has disastrous effects on a person’s private life.
This suggestion can be interpreted in a lot of ways. A popular example, as portrayed in soap operas: people in positions of power are prone to dalliances later in the evening.
Second, and we’re all familiar with this: lack of focus.
We’ve all been there. There are days when we would sit in front of our laptops staring at our screens, internally trying to muster a shred of energy and motivation to get the job done.
No matter how hard we force ourselves to concentrate on our tasks and try to squeeze out even a drop of motivation—we just can’t!
On the bright side, self-discipline will help us get back on track. But, remember, our lack of focus is just a symptom of the real problem: we’re tired.
Last, but not least: damaged eyes.
We’re always on our computers and smartphones—all day even. We do our work and leisure on our devices and (no surprise) that leads to damaged eyes that continuously gets worse.
When we stare at the screen, our blink rate decreases. In proportion to that, our tear production—the part of our eyes that keeps them lubricated—also decreases. This easily leads to dry and tired eyes that eventually leads to blurry vision—and a pricey new pair of glasses.
These negative effects might not be considered as a big deal for some but keep in mind everything starts as minute things before snowballing into something bigger—like burning out because of work.
Related Article: How a Clean Desk Keeps You from Being Stressed at Work
To hopefully avoid any of these negative effects, with the exception of those who already abuse their eyes (myself included), let’s talk about how to take breaks at work. This includes: how often we should take breaks and what microbreak activities we can do at work are.
So, how often should we take breaks at work?
It’s not set in stone on how many minutes we should take a break—since results differ depending on a lot of factors:
Just remember, it’s not about the exact number. It’s about the quality of how we take regular breaks that will help us reap their benefits.
What are the microbreak activities we can do on our breaks?
There’s a lot of microbreak activities we can actually do during our breaks. Just remember, the goal is to come back recharged. Or as Alejandro Lleras, professor of Psychology, puts it:
“Deactivating and reactivating your goals allows you to stay focused.”
To better explain that, here’s what Hengchen Dai from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania has to say:
“Based on past research, we would expect that the more relaxed and disengaged from work people feel during a break, the more likely they will be to benefit from taking time off.”
In short, we shouldn’t do any work during our breaks—and checking emails doesn't count as a break either.
So here are a couple of microbreak activities that what we can do:
1. Move around or stretch
Sitting all day is bad for our health. But it’s the unavoidable devil in our lives since most of everything we do now involves sitting in front of a screen—to a point where we practically have our butts glued to the seat.
A little bit of movement during our break would be good for us. While some would opt to have a workout to get the blood pumping, a quick 5-minute walk will do just as well.
2. Take a nap
The power of a good nap is undeniable. In fact, a study published in Nature Neuroscience shows that naps can change our perception and mood throughout the day.
But how long should we take a nap for?
Jennifer Ackerman, author of Sex Sleep Eat Drink Dream: A Day in the Life of Your Body, wrote an insightful guide on how we can catch some Zs:
3. Have a coffee break
Drinking coffee is good for our productivity. Specifically, caffeine—found in tea and coffee drinks, to name a few—keeps us alert, helps regulate our stress levels, and keeps us active.
While this little tidbit gives us a reason to reach for another cup of our socially-acceptable drug, there are golden windows throughout our day that’s the best time to drink coffee. Our first coffee break should be between 9:30 and 11:30 in the morning. Our second one—when we really need that extra caffeine boost—should be around 1:30 and 5:30 in the afternoon.
Related Article: How to Stay Motivated at Work When Things Become Unbearable
Within our daily 8-hour shifts, we have about an hour to eat our lunch, and maybe an additional 15-minute break for others. While this is already enough for some to get back to work and keep at it until the end of our shifts—this isn’t the case for everyone.
Our energies naturally ebb and flow. Some people can power through the moments when our energies and focus ebb—but it’s not commendable.
Studies from diverse academic disciplines suggest that having microbreaks at work is vital for our holistic well-being—with plenty of benefits to boot as well.
Sadly, it’s a part of our culture to perceive people who take regular breaks as lazy, dawdling about instead of working on their tasks.
Just remember we’re not robots. We all need to disconnect, even for just a moment, to get back to work and bring the best we can give to the table.
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Cloud Employee, is a UK-owned Philippines business established 8 years ago. We connect high-performing software engineer talent in the Philippines with some of the world’s leading and most innovative tech companies. Developers join to work from the Philippines as part of international engineering teams and grow their CV and skill set.
We pride ourselves on being a supportive and cutting-edge workplace that continuously invests in staff development, engagement, and well-being. We provide security, and career paths, along with individual training programs and mentoring.
Cloud Employee, is a UK-owned Philippines business established 8 years ago. We connect high-performing software engineer talent in the Philippines with some of the world’s leading and most innovative tech companies. Developers join to work from the Philippines as part of international engineering teams and grow their CV and skill set.
We pride ourselves on being a supportive and cutting-edge workplace that continuously invests in staff development, engagement, and well-being. We provide security, and career paths, along with individual training programs and mentoring.
Cloud Employee, is a UK-owned Philippines business established 8 years ago. We connect high-performing software engineer talent in the Philippines with some of the world’s leading and most innovative tech companies. Developers join to work from the Philippines as part of international engineering teams and grow their CV and skill set.
We pride ourselves on being a supportive and cutting-edge workplace that continuously invests in staff development, engagement, and well-being. We provide security, and career paths, along with individual training programs and mentoring.
Cloud Employee, is a UK-owned Philippines business established 8 years ago. We connect high-performing software engineer talent in the Philippines with some of the world’s leading and most innovative tech companies. Developers join to work from the Philippines as part of international engineering teams and grow their CV and skill set.
We pride ourselves on being a supportive and cutting-edge workplace that continuously invests in staff development, engagement, and well-being. We provide security, and career paths, along with individual training programs and mentoring.
Storma is a UK-owned business established 5 years ago. We connect high-performing software engineer talent worldwide with some of the world’s leading and most innovative tech companies. Developers join to work as part of international engineering teams and grow their CV and skill-set.
Our client is a Canadian-based eCommerce engineering firm helping merchants build and manage their digital store infrastructure, optimize customer experience, and convert traffic to sales more efficiently.
Cloud Employee, is a UK-owned Philippines business established 8 years ago. We connect high-performing software engineer talent in the Philippines with some of the world’s leading and most innovative tech companies. Developers from the Philippines join to work as part of international engineering teams and grow their CVs and skill sets.
We pride ourselves on being a supportive and cutting-edge workplace continuously investing in staff development, engagement, and well-being. We provide security, career paths, along with individual training programs and mentoring.
Cloud Employee, is a UK-owned Philippines business established 8 years ago. We connect high-performing software engineer talent in the Philippines with some of the world’s leading and most innovative tech companies. Developers from the Philippines join to work as part of international engineering teams and grow their CVs and skill sets.
We pride ourselves on being a supportive and cutting-edge workplace continuously investing in staff development, engagement, and well-being. We provide security, career paths, along with individual training programs and mentoring.
Cloud Employee, is a UK-owned Philippines business established 8 years ago. We connect high-performing software engineer talent in the Philippines with some of the world’s leading and most innovative tech companies. Developers from the Philippines join to work as part of international engineering teams and grow their CVs and skill sets.
We pride ourselves on being a supportive and cutting-edge workplace continuously investing in staff development, engagement, and well-being. We provide security, career paths, along with individual training programs and mentoring.
Cloud Employee, is a UK-owned Philippines business established 8 years ago. We connect high-performing software engineer talent in the Philippines with some of the world’s leading and most innovative tech companies. Developers from the Philippines join to work as part of international engineering teams and grow their CVs and skill sets.
We pride ourselves on being a supportive and cutting-edge workplace continuously investing in staff development, engagement, and well-being. We provide security, career paths, along with individual training programs and mentoring.
Cloud Employee, is a UK-owned Philippines business established 8 years ago. We connect high-performing software engineer talent in the Philippines with some of the world’s leading and most innovative tech companies. Developers from the Philippines join to work as part of international engineering teams and grow their CVs and skill sets.
We pride ourselves on being a supportive and cutting-edge workplace continuously investing in staff development, engagement, and well-being. We provide security, career paths, along with individual training programs and mentoring.
Cloud Employee, is a UK-owned Philippines business established 8 years ago. We connect high-performing software engineer talent in the Philippines with some of the world’s leading and most innovative tech companies. Developers from the Philippines join to work as part of international engineering teams and grow their CVs and skill sets.
We pride ourselves on being a supportive and cutting-edge workplace continuously investing in staff development, engagement, and well-being. We provide security, career paths, along with individual training programs and mentoring.
Cloud Employee, is a UK-owned Philippines business established 8 years ago. We connect high-performing software engineer talent in the Philippines with some of the world’s leading and most innovative tech companies. Developers from the Philippines join to work as part of international engineering teams and grow their CVs and skill sets.
We pride ourselves on being a supportive and cutting-edge workplace continuously investing in staff development, engagement, and well-being. We provide security, career paths, along with individual training programs and mentoring.
Cloud Employee, is a UK-owned Philippines business established 8 years ago. We connect high-performing software engineer talent in the Philippines with some of the world’s leading and most innovative tech companies. Developers from the Philippines join to work as part of international engineering teams and grow their CVs and skill sets.
We pride ourselves on being a supportive and cutting-edge workplace continuously investing in staff development, engagement, and well-being. We provide security, career paths, along with individual training programs and mentoring.
Cloud Employee, is a UK-owned Philippines business established 8 years ago. We connect high-performing software engineer talent in the Philippines with some of the world’s leading and most innovative tech companies. Developers from the Philippines join to work as part of international engineering teams and grow their CVs and skill sets.
We pride ourselves on being a supportive and cutting-edge workplace continuously investing in staff development, engagement, and well-being. We provide security, career paths, along with individual training programs and mentoring.
Cloud Employee, is a UK-owned Philippines business established 8 years ago. We connect high-performing software engineer talent in the Philippines with some of the world’s leading and most innovative tech companies. Developers join to work from the Philippines as part of international engineering teams and grow their CV and skill set.
We pride ourselves on being a supportive and cutting-edge workplace that continuously invests in staff development, engagement, and well-being. We provide security, and career paths, along with individual training programs and mentoring.
Cloud Employee, is a UK-owned Philippines business established 8 years ago. We connect high-performing software engineer talent in the Philippines with some of the world’s leading and most innovative tech companies. Developers join to work from the Philippines as part of international engineering teams and grow their CV and skill set.
We pride ourselves on being a supportive and cutting-edge workplace that continuously invests in staff development, engagement, and well-being. We provide security, and career paths, along with individual training programs and mentoring.
Cloud Employee, is a UK-owned Philippines business established 8 years ago. We connect high-performing software engineer talent in the Philippines with some of the world’s leading and most innovative tech companies. Developers from the Philippines join to work as part of international engineering teams and grow their CVs and skill sets.
We pride ourselves on being a supportive and cutting-edge workplace continuously investing in staff development, engagement, and well-being. We provide security, career paths, along with individual training programs and mentoring.
Cloud Employee is a UK-owned Philippines business established 8 years ago. We connect high-performing software engineer talent in the Philippines with some of the world’s leading and most innovative tech companies. Developers join to work from the Philippines as part of international engineering teams and grow their CV and skill-set.
We pride ourselves on being supportive and cutting-edge work that continuously invests in staff development, engagement, and well-being. We provide security, career paths, individual training programs, and mentoring.
Cloud Employee, is a UK-owned Philippines business established 8 years ago. We connect high-performing software engineer talent in the Philippines with some of the world’s leading and most innovative tech companies. Developers from the Philippines join to work as part of international engineering teams and grow their CVs and skill sets.
We pride ourselves on being a supportive and cutting-edge workplace continuously investing in staff development, engagement, and well-being. We provide security, career paths, along with individual training programs and mentoring
Cloud Employee, is a UK-owned Philippines business established 8 years ago. We connect high-performing software engineer talent in the Philippines with some of the world’s leading and most innovative tech companies. Developers from the Philippines join to work as part of international engineering teams and grow their CVs and skill-set.
We pride ourselves on being a supportive, cutting-edge workplace that continuously invests in staff development, engagement, and well-being. We provide security, career paths, individual training programs, and mentoring.
Cloud Employee, is a UK-owned Philippines business established 8 years ago. We connect high-performing software engineer talent in the Philippines with some of the world’s leading and most innovative tech companies. Developers from the Philippines join to work as part of international engineering teams and grow their CVs and skill-set.
We pride ourselves on being a supportive, cutting-edge workplace that continuously invests in staff development, engagement, and well-being. We provide security, career paths, individual training programs, and mentoring.
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This role will be to collaborate on the Quality Assurance of the company’s application, whilst also taking responsibility for the back-end architecture. You will assume responsibility for a wide range of activities that will include candidate support, client and integration support activities, and project-based work to improve our overall effectiveness
As a QA Engineer, the ideal candidate will have a strong background in both manual and automated testing, with a focus on mobile and web applications. This role involves working closely with developers, product owners, and UX/UI designers to ensure the highest quality of our software products.
We seek a Video Editor with a strong creative eye. You'll create high-quality YouTube videos, repurpose content, and streamline workflows using Adobe Premiere, Frame.io, CapCut, and other AI tools to maximize your video editing efforts. You will create videos on a weekly basis for our company and our CEO's personal brand. The job is completely remote, but we have offices in Makati, where you might be asked to join us occasionally for team gatherings.
This is an exciting opportunity for a video editor who has a growth mindset, who takes pride in their work and enjoys working from the comfort of their home.
As a Senior Developer specializing in Zuora Subscription Billing, you will be responsible for the design, development, and maintenance of Zuora Subscription Billing solutions to support our subscription-based business model. You will work closely with cross-functional teams to understand business requirements and implement solutions that align with the company's objectives.
Cloud Employee is a UK-owned Philippines business established 8 years ago.We connect high-performing software engineer talent in the Philippines with some of the world’s leading and most innovative tech companies. Developers join to work from the Philippines as part of international engineering teams and grow their CV and skill-set.
We pride ourselves on being supportive and cutting-edge work that continuously invests in staff development, engagement, and well-being. We provide security, career paths, individual training programs, and mentoring.
Cloud Employee is building a ‘Future of Work’ AI driven talent tech platform in the remote software engineer staffing space.
In this strategic and hands-on creative role, you'll have the opportunity to shape the narrative of remote work and impact the tech industry at a global scale.
With team members across the US, LATAM, Europe and Asia - we’re on a mission to bridge the talent gap with our matching platform and employee experience programs.
We need your storytelling strategy skills to ‘share the journey’ and the human stories behind our business
Cloud Employee, is a UK owned Philippines business established 8 years ago. We connect high-performing software engineer talent in the Philippines with some of the world’s leading and most innovative tech companies. Developers join to work from the Philippines as part of international engineer teams and grow their CV and skill-set.
We pride ourselves on being a supportive and cutting edge workplace continuously investing in staff development, engagement and well-being. We provide security, career paths, along with individual training programs and mentoring.
Cloud Employee is a fast-growing UK-managed offshore recruitment and staffing company in the Philippines. We tackle the growing global IT skills shortage by connecting tech companies based in Europe, the US, and Australia to our pool of expert software developers in the country.
We are now seeking a passionate Senior/Team Lead Full-Stack PHP Developer to join our team of skilled talents. This is an excellent opportunity to join a fun and dynamic work environment and to significantly advance your career.
Cloud Employee is a UK-owned business established 8 years ago. We connect high-performing software engineer talent worldwide with some of the world’s leading and most innovative tech companies. Developers join to work from the Philippines and Brazil as part of international engineer teams and grow their CV and skill-set.
We pride ourselves on being a supportive and cutting edge workplace continuously investing in staff development, engagement and well-being. We provide security, career paths, along with individual training programs and mentoring.
Cloud Employee, is a UK-owned Philippines business established 8 years ago. We connect high-performing software engineer talent in the Philippines with some of the world’s leading and most innovative tech companies. Developers join to work from the Philippines as part of international engineer teams and grow their CV and skill-set.
We pride ourselves on being supportive and cutting-edge work that continuously invests in staff development, engagement and well-being. We provide security, and career paths, along with individual training programs and mentoring.
Cloud Employee, is a UK-owned Philippines business established 8 years ago. We connect high-performing software engineer talent in the Philippines with some of the world’s leading and most innovative tech companies. Developers join to work from the Philippines as part of international engineer teams and grow their CV and skill-set.
We pride ourselves on being supportive and cutting-edge work that continuously invests in staff development, engagement and well-being. We provide security, and career paths, along with individual training programs and mentoring.
Cloud Employee is a UK-owned Philippines business established 8 years ago. We connect high-performing software engineer talent in the Philippines with some of the world’s leading and most innovative tech companies. Developers join to work from the Philippines as part of international engineering teams and grow their CV and skill-set.
We pride ourselves on being supportive and cutting-edge work that continuously invests in staff development, engagement, and well-being. We provide security, career paths, individual training programs, and mentoring.
Cloud Employee, is a UK owned Philippines business established 8 years ago. We connect high-performing software engineer talent in the Philippines with some of the world’s leading and most innovative tech companies. Developers join to work from the Philippines as part of international engineer teams and grow their CV and skill-set.
We pride ourselves on being a supportive and cutting edge workplace continuously investing in staff development, engagement and well-being. We provide security, career paths, along with individual training programs and mentoring.
Cloud Employee is a UK-owned business established 8 years ago. We connect high-performing software engineer talent worldwide with some of the world’s leading and most innovative tech companies. Developers join to work from the Philippines and Brazil as part of international engineer teams and grow their CV and skill-set.
We pride ourselves on being a supportive and cutting edge workplace continuously investing in staff development, engagement and well-being. We provide security, career paths, along with individual training programs and mentoring.
Cloud Employee, is a UK-owned Philippines business established 8 years ago. We connect high-performing software engineer talent in the Philippines with some of the world’s leading and most innovative tech companies. Developers join to work from the Philippines as part of international engineer teams and grow their CV and skill-set.
We pride ourselves on being supportive and cutting-edge work that continuously invests in staff development, engagement and well-being. We provide security, and career paths, along with individual training programs and mentoring.
Cloud Employee, is a UK-owned Philippines business established 8 years ago. We connect high-performing software engineer talent in the Philippines with some of the world’s leading and most innovative tech companies. Developers join to work from the Philippines as part of international engineer teams and grow their CV and skill-set.
We pride ourselves on being supportive and cutting-edge work that continuously invests in staff development, engagement and well-being. We provide security, and career paths, along with individual training programs and mentoring.
Cloud Employee, is a UK-owned Philippines business established 8 years ago. We connect high-performing software engineer talent in the Philippines with some of the world’s leading and most innovative tech companies. Developers join to work from the Philippines as part of international engineer teams and grow their CV and skill-set.
We pride ourselves on being supportive and cutting-edge work that continuously invests in staff development, engagement and well-being. We provide security, and career paths, along with individual training programs and mentoring.
Cloud Employee, is a UK-owned Philippines business established 8 years ago. We connect high-performing software engineer talent in the Philippines with some of the world’s leading and most innovative tech companies. Developers join to work from the Philippines as part of international engineer teams and grow their CV and skill-set.
We pride ourselves on being supportive and cutting-edge work that continuously invests in staff development, engagement and well-being. We provide security, and career paths, along with individual training programs and mentoring.
Cloud Employee, is a UK-owned Philippines business established 8 years ago. We connect high-performing software engineer talent in the Philippines with some of the world’s leading and most innovative tech companies. Developers join to work from the Philippines as part of international engineer teams and grow their CV and skill-set.
We pride ourselves on being supportive and cutting-edge work that continuously invests in staff development, engagement and well-being. We provide security, and career paths, along with individual training programs and mentoring.
Cloud Employee, is a UK-owned Philippines business established 8 years ago. We connect high-performing software engineer talent in the Philippines with some of the world’s leading and most innovative tech companies. Developers join to work from the Philippines as part of international engineer teams and grow their CV and skill-set.
We pride ourselves on being supportive and cutting-edge work that continuously invests in staff development, engagement and well-being. We provide security, and career paths, along with individual training programs and mentoring.
Cloud Employee, is a UK owned Philippines business established 8 years ago. We connect high-performing software engineer talent in the Philippines with some of the world’s leading and most innovative tech companies. Developers join to work from the Philippines as part of international engineer teams and grow their CV and skill-set.
We pride ourselves on being a supportive and cutting edge workplace continuously investing in staff development, engagement and well-being. We provide security, career paths, along with individual training programs and mentoring.
Our Client
A leading UK-company that specializes in providing foreign currencies solutions
Cloud Employee, is a UK-owned Philippines business established 8 years ago. We connect high-performing software engineer talent in the Philippines with some of the world’s leading and most innovative tech companies. Developers join to work from the Philippines as part of international engineer teams and grow their CV and skill-set.
We pride ourselves on being supportive and cutting-edge work that continuously invests in staff development, engagement and well-being. We provide security, and career paths, along with individual training programs and mentoring.
A completely integrated innovation studio within the corporate framework, with a primary emphasis on making the future of the food industry accessible to all. Their core objective is to discover, create, and expand tailored automation remedies, utilizing a team of proficient individuals covering domains like engineering, robotics, and artificial intelligence. Our central mission revolves around constructing automation technology solutions that empower individuals to achieve greater feats.
Position Summary
In your role as a Robotics Software Engineer, your expertise in Robotic Software Engineering will be the key to your success. Collaborating with our skilled team, you'll play a pivotal role in advancing our cutting-edge product development accelerator. Your responsibilities will involve crafting, programming, and evaluating top-notch software essential for ensuring the dependable and secure operations of commercial robots.
Cloud Employee, is a UK-owned Philippines business established 8 years ago. We connect high-performing software engineer talent in the Philippines with some of the world’s leading and most innovative tech companies. Developers join to work from the Philippines as part of international engineer teams and grow their CV and skill-set.
We pride ourselves on being supportive and cutting-edge work that continuously invests in staff development, engagement and well-being. We provide security, and career paths, along with individual training programs and mentoring.
Cloud Employee, is a UK-owned Philippines business established 8 years ago. We connect high-performing software engineer talent in the Philippines with some of the world’s leading and most innovative tech companies. Developers join to work from the Philippines as part of international engineer teams and grow their CV and skill-set.
We pride ourselves on being supportive and cutting-edge work that continuously invests in staff development, engagement and well-being. We provide security, and career paths, along with individual training programs and mentoring.
Cloud Employee, is a UK-owned Philippines business established 8 years ago. We connect high-performing software engineer talent in the Philippines with some of the world’s leading and most innovative tech companies. Developers join to work from the Philippines as part of international engineer teams and grow their CV and skill-set.
We pride ourselves on being supportive and cutting-edge work that continuously invests in staff development, engagement and well-being. We provide security, and career paths, along with individual training programs and mentoring.
Cloud Employee, is a UK-owned Philippines business established 8 years ago. We connect high-performing software engineer talent in the Philippines with some of the world’s leading and most innovative tech companies. Developers join to work from the Philippines as part of international engineer teams and grow their CV and skill-set.
We pride ourselves on being supportive and cutting-edge work that continuously invests in staff development, engagement and well-being. We provide security, and career paths, along with individual training programs and mentoring.
Cloud Employee, is a UK-owned Philippines business established 8 years ago. We connect high-performing software engineer talent in the Philippines with some of the world’s leading and most innovative tech companies. Developers join to work from the Philippines as part of international engineer teams and grow their CV and skill-set.
We pride ourselves on being supportive and cutting-edge work that continuously invests in staff development, engagement and well-being. We provide security, and career paths, along with individual training programs and mentoring.
A completely integrated innovation studio within the corporate framework, with a primary emphasis on making the future of the food industry accessible to all. Their core objective is to discover, create, and expand tailored automation remedies, utilizing a team of proficient individuals covering domains like engineering, robotics, and artificial intelligence. Our central mission revolves around constructing automation technology solutions that empower individuals to achieve greater feats.
Position Summary
The position of Mechanical Engineer corresponds to a mid-level role. An ideal candidate for this position possesses robust practical expertise in various technical systems. The responsibilities encompass a combination of individual input within projects and actively leading teams towards achieving a remarkable standard of technical proficiency.
Cloud Employee, is a UK-owned Philippines business established 8 years ago. We connect high-performing software engineer talent in the Philippines with some of the world’s leading and most innovative tech companies. Developers join to work from the Philippines as part of international engineer teams and grow their CV and skill-set.
We pride ourselves on being supportive and cutting-edge work that continuously invests in staff development, engagement and well-being. We provide security, and career paths, along with individual training programs and mentoring.
A completely integrated innovation studio within the corporate framework, with a primary emphasis on making the future of the food industry accessible to all. Their core objective is to discover, create, and expand tailored automation remedies, utilizing a team of proficient individuals covering domains like engineering, robotics, and artificial intelligence. Our central mission revolves around constructing automation technology solutions that empower individuals to achieve greater feats.
Position Summary
In the role of an Industrial Design Engineer with a focus on cobotics, you will assume a crucial position in envisioning, crafting, and honing both the tangible and operational facets of our collaborative robotic solutions. Your collaboration will extend to cross-functional groups, including mechanical engineers, software developers, and UX designers, in the pursuit of devising cobotic systems centered around users. These systems will redefine effectiveness and safety within industrial settings.
Cloud Employee, is a UK owned Philippines business established 8 years ago. We connect high-performing software engineer talent in the Philippines with some of the world’s leading and most innovative tech companies. Developers join to work from the Philippines as part of international engineer teams and grow their CV and skill-set.
We pride ourselves on being a supportive and cutting edge workplace continuously investing in staff development, engagement and well-being. We provide security, career paths, along with individual training programs and mentoring.
A top rated and state of the art cloud based video interviewing solutions company based in the UK catering to over 5000 prominent companies around the world such as Samsung, Uber, Boohoo, Coinbase, 7-Eleven and many more.
Cloud Employee, is a UK-owned Philippines business established 8 years ago. We connect high-performing software engineer talent in the Philippines with some of the world’s leading and most innovative tech companies. Developers join to work from the Philippines as part of international engineer teams and grow their CV and skill-set.
We pride ourselves on being supportive and cutting-edge work that continuously invests in staff development, engagement and well-being. We provide security, and career paths, along with individual training programs and mentoring.
Cloud Employee, is a UK-owned Philippines business established 8 years ago. We connect high-performing software engineer talent in the Philippines with some of the world’s leading and most innovative tech companies. Developers join to work from the Philippines as part of international engineer teams and grow their CV and skill-set.
We pride ourselves on being supportive and cutting-edge work that continuously invests in staff development, engagement and well-being. We provide security, and career paths, along with individual training programs and mentoring.
Cloud Employee, is a UK-owned Philippines business established 8 years ago. We connect high-performing software engineer talent in the Philippines with some of the world’s leading and most innovative tech companies. Developers join to work from the Philippines as part of international engineer teams and grow their CV and skill-set.
We pride ourselves on being supportive and cutting-edge work that continuously invests in staff development, engagement and well-being. We provide security, and career paths, along with individual training programs and mentoring.
A completely integrated innovation studio within the corporate framework, with a primary emphasis on making the future of the food industry accessible to all. Their core objective is to discover, create, and expand tailored automation remedies, utilizing a team of proficient individuals covering domains like engineering, robotics, and artificial intelligence. Our central mission revolves around constructing automation technology solutions that empower individuals to achieve greater feats.
Position Overview
In the role of an Electrical Engineer, your expertise and proficiency in designing electrical-mechanical systems will be a key asset, enabling you to stand out. Collaborating with our skilled team, you will play a vital role in expediting product development processes.
Cloud Employee, is a UK-owned Philippines business established 8 years ago. We connect high-performing software engineer talent in the Philippines with some of the world’s leading and most innovative tech companies. Developers join to work from the Philippines as part of international engineer teams and grow their CV and skill-set.
We pride ourselves on being supportive and cutting-edge work that continuously invests in staff development, engagement and well-being. We provide security, and career paths, along with individual training programs and mentoring.
Cloud Employee is a fast-growing UK-managed offshore recruitment and staffing company in the Philippines. We tackle the growing global IT skills shortage by connecting tech companies based in Europe, the US, and Australia to our pool of expert software developers in the country.
We are now seeking a passionate Front End React Developer to join our team of skilled talents. This is an excellent opportunity to join a fun and dynamic work environment and to significantly advance your career.
Cloud Employee, is a UK-owned Philippines business established 8 years ago. We connect high-performing software engineer talent in the Philippines with some of the world’s leading and most innovative tech companies. Developers join to work from the Philippines as part of international engineer teams and grow their CV and skill-set.
We pride ourselves on being supportive and cutting-edge work that continuously invests in staff development, engagement and well-being. We provide security, and career paths, along with individual training programs and mentoring.
Cloud Employee, is a UK-owned Philippines business established 8 years ago. We connect high-performing software engineer talent in the Philippines with some of the world’s leading and most innovative tech companies. Developers join to work from the Philippines as part of international engineer teams and grow their CV and skill-set.
We pride ourselves on being supportive and cutting-edge work that continuously invests in staff development, engagement and well-being. We provide security, and career paths, along with individual training programs and mentoring.
Cloud Employee, is a UK-owned Philippines business established 8 years ago. We connect high-performing software engineer talent in the Philippines with some of the world’s leading and most innovative tech companies. Developers join to work from the Philippines as part of international engineer teams and grow their CV and skill-set.
We pride ourselves on being supportive and cutting-edge work that continuously invests in staff development, engagement and well-being. We provide security, and career paths, along with individual training programs and mentoring.
Cloud Employee is a fast-growing UK-managed offshore recruitment and staffing company in the Philippines. We tackle the growing global IT skills shortage by connecting tech companies based in Europe, the US, and Australia to our pool of expert software developers in the country.
We are now seeking a passionate Full-Stack Developer to join our team of skilled talents. This is an excellent opportunity to join a fun and dynamic work environment and to significantly advance your career.
Cloud Employee, is a UK-owned Philippines business established 8 years ago. We connect high-performing software engineer talent in the Philippines with some of the world’s leading and most innovative tech companies. Developers join to work from the Philippines as part of international engineer teams and grow their CV and skill-set.
We pride ourselves on being supportive and cutting-edge work that continuously invests in staff development, engagement and well-being. We provide security, and career paths, along with individual training programs and mentoring.
Cloud Employee, is a UK-owned Philippines business established 8 years ago. We connect high-performing software engineer talent in the Philippines with some of the world’s leading and most innovative tech companies. Developers join to work from the Philippines as part of international engineering teams and grow their CV and skill-set.We pride ourselves on being a supportive and cutting-edge workplace that continuously invests in staff development, engagement, and well-being. We provide security, and career paths, along with individual training programs and mentoring.
Cloud Employee, is a UK-owned Philippines business established 8 years ago. We connect high-performing software engineer talent in the Philippines with some of the world’s leading and most innovative tech companies. Developers join to work from the Philippines as part of international engineer teams and grow their CV and skill-set.
We pride ourselves on being supportive and cutting-edge work that continuously invests in staff development, engagement and well-being. We provide security, and career paths, along with individual training programs and mentoring
Cloud Employee is a fast-growing UK-managed offshore recruitment and staffing company in the Philippines. We tackle the growing global IT skills shortage by connecting tech companies based in Europe, the US, and Australia to our pool of expert software developers in the country.
We are now seeking passionate mid to senior-level Fullstack PHP Developer to join our team of skilled talents. This is an excellent opportunity to join a fun and dynamic work environment and to significantly advance your career.
Cloud Employee is a fast-growing UK-managed offshore recruitment and staffing company in the Philippines. We tackle the growing global IT skills shortage by connecting tech companies based in Europe, the US, and Australia to our pool of expert software developers in the country.
We are now seeking passionate Lead Full-Stack PHP Developer to join our team of skilled talents. This is an excellent opportunity to join a fun and dynamic work environment and to significantly advance your career.
Cloud Employee, is a UK-owned Philippines business established 8 years ago. We connect high-performing software engineer talent in the Philippines with some of the world’s leading and most innovative tech companies. Developers join to work from the Philippines as part of international engineer teams and grow their CV and skill-set.
We pride ourselves on being supportive and cutting-edge work that continuously invests in staff development, engagement and well-being. We provide security, and career paths, along with individual training programs and mentoring.
Cloud Employee, is a UK-owned Philippines business established 8 years ago. We connect high-performing software engineer talent in the Philippines with some of the world’s leading and most innovative tech companies. Developers join to work from the Philippines as part of international engineer teams and grow their CV and skill-set.
We pride ourselves on being supportive and cutting-edge work that continuously invests in staff development, engagement and well-being. We provide security, and career paths, along with individual training programs and mentoring.
Cloud Employee is a UK-owned business established eight years ago. We connect high-performing software engineer talent worldwide with some of the world’s leading and most innovative tech companies. Developers join to work from the Philippines and Brazil as part of international engineering teams and grow their CV and skill-set.
We pride ourselves on being a supportive and cutting edge workplace that continuously invests in staff development, engagement, and well-being. We provide security, career paths, individual training programs, and mentoring.
Cloud Employee, is a UK-owned Philippines business established 8 years ago. We connect high-performing software engineer talent in the Philippines with some of the world’s leading and most innovative tech companies. Developers join to work from the Philippines as part of international engineer teams and grow their CV and skill-set.
We pride ourselves on being supportive and cutting-edge work that continuously invests in staff development, engagement and well-being. We provide security, and career paths, along with individual training programs and mentoring.
Cloud Employee is a UK-owned Philippines business established 8 years ago. We connect high-performing software engineer talent in the Philippines with some of the world’s leading and most innovative tech companies. Developers join to work from the Philippines as part of international engineering teams and grow their CV and skill-set.
We pride ourselves on being a supportive and cutting-edge workplace that continuously invests in staff development, engagement, and well-being. We provide security, and career paths, along with individual training programs and mentoring.
February 16, 2024
Since the industrial revolution up to our present-day society, we all have worked 8-hour shifts, day-in and day-out—five days a week!
Frankly, the routine can get quite tiring. That’s why we need to take regular breaks from work—to disconnect, recharge, and come back refreshed.
In this article, we’ll be talking about:
In the past, working an 8-hour shift used to be an effective approach. It was a humane effort to cut down the hours of strenuous manual labour workers were subjected to on the factory floor.
But in the context of the modern-day, white-collar employees, it’s outdated and ineffective!
A study conducted by the Draugiem Group used a computer application called DeskTime to track the work habits of employees. The app measured how much time people spent on their tasks and compared it to their productivity levels.
From the study, researchers found the employees’ productivity level results intriguing; the typical length of a workday didn’t really matter—it’s how they structured their day that made an impact.
Specifically, the employees who regularly took microbreaks at work were a lot more productive compared to the people who powered through and worked with minimal breaks.
The results of their study aren’t surprising, nor are they new—our focus and energy naturally ebb and flow.
Biologists call this as a part of Chronobiology—a field in Biology that examines the cyclic phenomena in living organisms. The study includes, but are not limited to, comparative anatomy, physiology, genetics, molecular biology, and behaviour.
That’s why we have periods of focus and high energy—an increased level of productivity, followed by a decline, or an ebb.
Now, it is annoying, but that’s the sad reality—we’re not robots.
So here’s a simple workaround to our biological limitations: we should actually take regular breaks at work.
Related Article: Is failure the key to career growth?
Before we start about how to take microbreaks at work and what the amazing benefits of having a break at work are, let’s talk about why it’s crucial to take regular breaks.
Now, the list isn’t long but adverse effects have a funny way of impacting our lives later on:
First in the list is decision fatigue.
Decision fatigue refers to the idea that our willpower to make sound decisions deteriorates in quality as we deplete our limited mental resources throughout the day.
As Jonathan Levav, Associate Professor of Business, from Stanford University puts it:
“Decision fatigue helps explain why ordinarily sensible people…can’t resist the dealer’s offer to rustproof their new car.”
The effects of decision fatigue— reduced the ability to make trade-offs, decision avoidance, impulse purchasing, and impaired self-regulation—are subtle in the beginning and later snowball into bigger problems.
Roy Baumeister and Kathleen Vohs, co-authors of several studies on decision fatigue, willpower, and self-control, suggest that decision fatigue has disastrous effects on a person’s private life.
This suggestion can be interpreted in a lot of ways. A popular example, as portrayed in soap operas: people in positions of power are prone to dalliances later in the evening.
Second, and we’re all familiar with this: lack of focus.
We’ve all been there. There are days when we would sit in front of our laptops staring at our screens, internally trying to muster a shred of energy and motivation to get the job done.
No matter how hard we force ourselves to concentrate on our tasks and try to squeeze out even a drop of motivation—we just can’t!
On the bright side, self-discipline will help us get back on track. But, remember, our lack of focus is just a symptom of the real problem: we’re tired.
Last, but not least: damaged eyes.
We’re always on our computers and smartphones—all day even. We do our work and leisure on our devices and (no surprise) that leads to damaged eyes that continuously gets worse.
When we stare at the screen, our blink rate decreases. In proportion to that, our tear production—the part of our eyes that keeps them lubricated—also decreases. This easily leads to dry and tired eyes that eventually leads to blurry vision—and a pricey new pair of glasses.
These negative effects might not be considered as a big deal for some but keep in mind everything starts as minute things before snowballing into something bigger—like burning out because of work.
Related Article: How a Clean Desk Keeps You from Being Stressed at Work
To hopefully avoid any of these negative effects, with the exception of those who already abuse their eyes (myself included), let’s talk about how to take breaks at work. This includes: how often we should take breaks and what microbreak activities we can do at work are.
So, how often should we take breaks at work?
It’s not set in stone on how many minutes we should take a break—since results differ depending on a lot of factors:
Just remember, it’s not about the exact number. It’s about the quality of how we take regular breaks that will help us reap their benefits.
What are the microbreak activities we can do on our breaks?
There’s a lot of microbreak activities we can actually do during our breaks. Just remember, the goal is to come back recharged. Or as Alejandro Lleras, professor of Psychology, puts it:
“Deactivating and reactivating your goals allows you to stay focused.”
To better explain that, here’s what Hengchen Dai from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania has to say:
“Based on past research, we would expect that the more relaxed and disengaged from work people feel during a break, the more likely they will be to benefit from taking time off.”
In short, we shouldn’t do any work during our breaks—and checking emails doesn't count as a break either.
So here are a couple of microbreak activities that what we can do:
1. Move around or stretch
Sitting all day is bad for our health. But it’s the unavoidable devil in our lives since most of everything we do now involves sitting in front of a screen—to a point where we practically have our butts glued to the seat.
A little bit of movement during our break would be good for us. While some would opt to have a workout to get the blood pumping, a quick 5-minute walk will do just as well.
2. Take a nap
The power of a good nap is undeniable. In fact, a study published in Nature Neuroscience shows that naps can change our perception and mood throughout the day.
But how long should we take a nap for?
Jennifer Ackerman, author of Sex Sleep Eat Drink Dream: A Day in the Life of Your Body, wrote an insightful guide on how we can catch some Zs:
3. Have a coffee break
Drinking coffee is good for our productivity. Specifically, caffeine—found in tea and coffee drinks, to name a few—keeps us alert, helps regulate our stress levels, and keeps us active.
While this little tidbit gives us a reason to reach for another cup of our socially-acceptable drug, there are golden windows throughout our day that’s the best time to drink coffee. Our first coffee break should be between 9:30 and 11:30 in the morning. Our second one—when we really need that extra caffeine boost—should be around 1:30 and 5:30 in the afternoon.
Related Article: How to Stay Motivated at Work When Things Become Unbearable
Within our daily 8-hour shifts, we have about an hour to eat our lunch, and maybe an additional 15-minute break for others. While this is already enough for some to get back to work and keep at it until the end of our shifts—this isn’t the case for everyone.
Our energies naturally ebb and flow. Some people can power through the moments when our energies and focus ebb—but it’s not commendable.
Studies from diverse academic disciplines suggest that having microbreaks at work is vital for our holistic well-being—with plenty of benefits to boot as well.
Sadly, it’s a part of our culture to perceive people who take regular breaks as lazy, dawdling about instead of working on their tasks.
Just remember we’re not robots. We all need to disconnect, even for just a moment, to get back to work and bring the best we can give to the table.
Have a question?
