Regular breaks, detachment and recovery: the hidden drivers of wellbeing and performance

As occupational and business psychologists, we are seeing first-hand the rising psychological toll of modern work. According to MHFA England (2024), 63% of UK employees are now showing signs of burnout, a steep rise from 51% just two years ago.

This trend is in part fuelled by longer hours, blurred boundaries (especially in hybrid work), and a shrinking sense of true "off" time. It's not just about tiredness—it's about depletion of the mental, emotional, and physical resources people need to perform and stay well. This was further evidenced by a recent project Affinity Health at Work conducted with the NHS, which identified that a lack of meaningful breaks and recovery was contributing to high absence rates and poor wellbeing.

• Regular breaks, detachment and recovery: the hidden drivers of wellbeing and performance (JPEG, 83 Kb, 720x1280)