On Behalf of the ASHP Section of Specialty Pharmacy Practitioners Section Advisory Group on Operational and Workforce Development
Breaks Are Essential – Take a walk during your break for improvements in mood, cognition, and overall health
Pharmacies are notoriously overloaded with time-sensitive orders. Breaks are often sacrificed by those hoping to catch up or stay current with their assignments and workloads. This can increase levels of stress, loss of focus, job dissatisfaction, the possibility of burnout, and even the development of physical and/or mental health issues. In addition, working long shifts without breaks can increase the risk of making medical errors. Studies have shown that the human mind can only focus for 40 to 50 minutes at a time, with constant and repetitive tasks leading to reduced concentration and cognitive boredom.
State governments are addressing this situation by mandating breaks. For example, Rule 4729:5-5-02.2 of the Ohio Administrative Code mandates that pharmacy personnel working longer than six continuous hours per workday shall be allowed, during that time, to take a 30-minute, uninterrupted rest break. North Carolina, Minnesota, Illinois, and Virginia have similar laws.
As pharmacists and technicians, taking regular breaks is probably the single most important thing that we can do for maintaining or improving our health and ensuring consistent levels of mental focus during the workday. Physical activities, such as walking, are an essential part of this.
The "New York Times" bestseller, “The First 20 Minutes,” examines research showing the benefits of walking for just 20 minutes.
A study published in “The American Journal of Clinical Exercise” found that just 20 minutes of brisk walking every day can have profound benefits, even reducing the risk of early death by 16% to 30%, and that physical activity was more important than weight levels in reducing the chance of early death.
Studies show that lack of exercise can be twice as lethal as obesity. Using public data, researchers calculated that 337,000 of the 9.2 million deaths that occurred in Europe during 2008 could be attributed to obesity, but physical inactivity was thought to be responsible for almost double that number (around 676,000 deaths.)
Research shows that even if you can’t get in a full workout each day or don’t have a full 30 minutes to walk, there are still profound benefits to taking a walk for even 20 minutes —and research suggests that even walking for 10 minutes is beneficial.
Walking is also good for mental health and focus. Based on the meta-analytic findings in this area, 20 minutes of walking per day, just three times per week at a moderate intensity, can significantly reduce symptoms of depression.
Twenty minutes of walking may also lower cortisol levels and reduce the risk of developing dementia and Alzheimer’s.
Shorter walks of 10 minutes can improve mood and immune function and assist with blood sugar regulation. For those of us who sit for long periods during the workday, even two to five minutes of walking can assist with blood sugar regulation by stabilizing insulin levels, according to this study published in “The Journal of Sports Medicine.”
According to Harvard Health, walking can also reduce breast cancer risk, ease joint pain, boost the immune system, counteract weight-promoting genetics, and even control cravings for sweets.
Taking breaks is a positive, health-enhancing practice that helps pharmacists, technicians and other medical personnel perform more effectively and efficiently, while helping to create and maintain a high level of engagement and job satisfaction. Be aware if you may be inadvertently perpetuating the stigma that taking breaks is a negative thing just by working through them. Doing so could be affecting your staff members’ ability to feel comfortable and perform at their best. And if you communicate the importance of taking breaks to your staff members so they can perform their job better, they’ll feel more comfortable in their work environment. Mandating breaks also enables staff members to temporarily step away from their jobs without guilt. Even a micro-break of 10 minutes has numerous benefits for health and productivity.
The reality of pharmacy work is that we will always feel the pressure of time-sensitive workload, whether we take breaks or not. It makes sense to take the time and come back refreshed. Do you think it is realistic to start walking on your break(s) at your pharmacy work location? Challenge coworkers to give it a try for 21 days and see if a walking habit benefits your team.
References
1. lbulescu P, Macsinga I, Rusu A, Sulea C, Bodnaru A, Tulbure BT. "Give me a break!" A systematic review and meta-analysis on the efficacy of micro-breaks for increasing well-being and performance. PLoS One. 2022 Aug 31;17(8):e0272460. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0272460. PMID: 36044424; PMCID: PMC9432722.
2. Mandatory Breaks Borowitz D, Trenaman S, Shiamptanis A. Evaluation of community pharmacy workplace wellness: Literature review, environmental scan, and task force recommendations. Explor Res Clin Soc Pharm. 2024 Mar 16;14:100432. doi: 10.1016/j.rcsop.2024.100432. PMID: 38550398; PMCID: PMC10973680.
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4. Reynolds, Gretchen. The First 20 Minutes: Surprising Science Reveals How to Exercise Better, Train Smarter, and Live Longer. New York, Plume, 2013.
5. Freedom, Patty S. “Long-Term Effect on Mortality of Leisure-Time and Work-Related Physical Activity.” Clinical Journal of Sport Medicine, vol. 7, no. 4, Oct. 1997, p. 313, https://doi.org/10.1097/00042752-199710000-00011.
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8. Harvard Health Publishing. “5 Surprising Benefits of Walking - Harvard Health.” Harvard Health, Harvard Health, 7 Dec. 2023, www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/5-surprising-benefits-of-walking.
Buffey, A.J., Herring, M.P., Langley, C.K. et al. The Acute Effects of Interrupting Prolonged Sitting Time in Adults with Standing and Light-Intensity Walking on Biomarkers of Cardiometabolic Health in Adults: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis. Sports Med 52, 1765–1787 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40279-022-01649-4
https://health.clevelandclinic.org/benefits-of-walking
https://health.clevelandclinic.org/10000-steps-a-day
https://health.clevelandclinic.org/can-you-lose-weight-by-walking
https://health.clevelandclinic.org/walking-meditation
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/search/research-news/15423/
Pictures courtesy of The Cleveland Clinic.