In this episode of the ‘Retrospective’ podcast, we discuss the importance of taking breaks of various lengths to maintain energy, resilience, and mental health. We explain the concepts of macro breaks (e.g., vacations), meso breaks (e.g., long lunches, proper day-closing rituals), and micro breaks (e.g., standing up, brief stretches). We share actionable tips on planning and executing these breaks, emphasizing the need to disconnect truly during vacations, the benefits of time-blocking in your calendar, and using tools like Pomodoro for maximizing productivity. The episode also touches on the physical and mental health benefits of these practices and briefly mentions team-based breaks.
Timeline
00:00 Introduction
00:30 The Importance of Taking Breaks
01:16 Burnout in Middle Management
03:42 Types of Breaks: Macro, Meso, and Micro
05:11 Planning and Executing Effective Vacations
11:14 Incorporating Meso Breaks into Your Day
18:57 The Power of Micro Breaks
27:01 Conclusion and Season Wrap-Up
Links from the episode
<ul>
<li>Engineering Managers at risk of burnout in <a href="https://newsletter.pragmaticengineer.com/p/the-pulse-118">The Pragmatic Engineer</a> and <a href="https://finance.yahoo.com/news/2025-set-bring-manager-crash-090000034.html">Fortune</a>.</li>
<li>Study: <a href="https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9432722/">A systematic review and meta-analysis on the efficacy of micro-breaks for increasing well-being and performance</a>.</li>
<li>Study: <a href="https://desktime.com/blog/52-17-updated">Does the 52-17 rule really hold up?</a>
</li>
</ul>
<footer>Share your thoughts about the episode (and the podcast) at <a href="mailto:feedback@the-retrospective.com">feedback@the-retrospective.com</a>!
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