If your workload is piling up, you may opt to tackle it all without taking any breaks, in order to manage it quicker.
But a new study from the University of Waterloo suggests that heavy workloads that discourage employees from taking breaks could disrupt general performance, causing high levels of stress and fatigue that stand in the way of productivity.
“Our research provides a comprehensive account of the processes involved in the decision to take a break and provides insights into how employees and managers can make more effective use of breaks at work, potentially improving both well-being and performance,” James Beck, professor of industrial and organizational psychology at Waterloo, said in a press release.
Researchers surveyed 10 employees about their rationales for taking breaks or not taking them during workdays. They also questioned 287 workers twice daily over five days about performance concerns tied to sleep, fatigue, and the general workload that might be preventing them from taking more breaks.
Despite the fact that prior research has shown breaks benefit employee performance and general well-being, a large factor comes down to supervision. When workers feel like supervisors “discourage breaks in their workplace” they become less likely to take them.
Vincent Phan, one of the study’s authors, acknowledges certain work limitations can prevent employees from taking breaks that could benefit their well being and general performance, but said “if employers can promote employee well-being by addressing the conditions that can make work unpleasant, they may be able to reduce the number of breaks needed.”
With the varying demands of different work environments, the researchers with the University of Waterloo hope their findings will help promote employee well-being and change the demanding hustle that leads to burnout, fatigue, and dissatisfaction at work.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and members of his cabinet are expected to face fresh questions today about Donald Trump vowing to impose a 25 per cent tariff on all products from Canada and Mexico on his first day in office, if border issues aren’t addressed.
An Ontario woman thought she got a good deal when she bought a van for $2,700, but later learned the odometer had been rolled back nearly 100,000 kilometres.
Canada Post says it's missed out on delivering an estimated 10 million parcels as a strike by more than 55,000 workers across the country continues ahead of Black Friday.
The Bank of Canada on Tuesday said inflation, which has been the center of attention and unhappiness for years amid rising prices, should fade into the background again as the annual rate settled back at 2 per cent.
Notorious killer Paul Bernardo is scheduled to appear before the Parole Board of Canada today for a hearing.
The Edmonton Police Service now says it is investigating 24 suspicious fires in south Edmonton.
If life imitates art, a vandal may be haunted by The Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come for smashing a tombstone that marked the fictional grave of Ebenezer Scrooge in the English countryside.
Edmonton's theatre community is in mourning after an actor died during a performance of "A Christmas Carol" at the Citadel Theatre on Sunday.
New U.S. regulations now force airlines to provide swift and automatic refunds for passengers when their flights are either cancelled or significantly delayed.
Notorious killer Paul Bernardo is scheduled to appear before the Parole Board of Canada today for a hearing.
Nova Scotians will cast their votes Tuesday in a snap provincial election.
Edmonton's theatre community is in mourning after an actor died during a performance of "A Christmas Carol" at the Citadel Theatre on Sunday.
Toronto police say they have charged a mother with second-degree murder following the death of her infant, who was found with critical injuries in midtown Toronto last week.
Manitoba municipalities want action from the province to deal with what one rural mayor describes as an alarming number of needles turning up in rural communities.
The Edmonton Police Service now says it is investigating 24 suspicious fires in south Edmonton.
Supporters seeking the release of imprisoned Pakistani former Prime Minister Imran Khan broke through a ring of shipping containers blocking off the capital on Tuesday, and battled security forces despite a government threat to respond with gunfire. Six people have died in the violence.
Egyptian naval forces rescued five people Tuesday and recovered four bodies, a day after a tourist yacht carrying 44 passengers sank in the Red Sea coastal town of Marsa Alam, officials said, after facing rough weather.
Mexico's president Claudia Sheinbaum said she has a plan to reduce the popularity of “narco corridos,” a musical genre often linked to drug cartel violence.
A long stretch of Donald Trump's border wall, a large concrete barrier atop an earthen levee, serves as a daily reminder of the president-elect's promises on security and immigration.
The United Arab Emirates said Monday police arrested three Uzbek nationals for the killing of an Israeli-Moldovan rabbi, an attack that's raised concerns for the burgeoning Israeli community in the country.
Israeli warplanes struck central Beirut and the city's southern suburbs on Tuesday, raising palls of smoke over the Lebanese capital ahead of a planned vote by Israel's leadership on whether to accept a U.S.-brokered ceasefire aimed at ending more than a year of fighting with Hezbollah.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and members of his cabinet are expected to face fresh questions today about Donald Trump vowing to impose a 25 per cent tariff on all products from Canada and Mexico on his first day in office, if border issues aren’t addressed.
Immigration Minister Marc Miller says further reforms to Canada's immigration and asylum systems will be proposed in the coming weeks.
The federal government is hoping a temporary break on GST will address a 'vibecession' that has gripped Canadians, Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland said Monday.
Bird flu virus has been found in a batch of raw milk sold in California, and consumers should not drink it, the state Department of Public Health warned Sunday.
According to the province’s Public Health Ministry, Quebec has the highest rate in the country of people under the age of 25 diagnosed with ADHD.
Canadians might have noticed menopause is increasingly a topic of conversation outside of health circles, gaining profile in entertainment and popular culture
Google is fighting to beat back another attack by the U.S. Department of Justice alleging monopolistic conduct over its advertising technology.
Bluesky, the rapidly growing social media platform, is violating EU regulations by failing to disclose important details, a European Commission spokesperson told reporters during a daily briefing on Monday.
An advocate for major social media platforms told an Australian Senate committee Monday that laws to ban children younger than 16 from the sites should be delayed until next year at least instead of being rushed through the Parliament this week.
Jeremy Allen White, Timothée Chalamet and Glen Powell. Celebrity lookalike contests may be going viral now but they’re actually a time-honoured form of entertainment.
Drake alleged in a court filing Monday that Universal Music Group falsely pumped up the popularity on Spotify and other streaming services of Kendrick Lamar's 'Not Like Us,' a song that viciously attacked Drake amid a bitter feud between the two hip-hop superstars.
A memorial tribute to Broadway star Gavin Creel is planned next Monday in the theater where he starred in “Into the Woods” and will be livestreamed online.
U.S. President-elect Donald Trump on Monday pledged big tariffs on the United States' three largest trading partners - Canada, Mexico and China - detailing how he will implement campaign promises that could trigger trade wars.
The Bank of Canada on Tuesday said inflation, which has been the center of attention and unhappiness for years amid rising prices, should fade into the background again as the annual rate settled back at 2 per cent.
Alimentation Couche-Tard Inc.'s CEO says the company is taking a persistent but friendly approach with the Japanese owner of the 7-Eleven convenience store chain it's trying to acquire.
John Tinniswood, an Englishman born the same year the Titanic sank and who survived two world wars and two global pandemics, has died aged 112, Guinness World Records said on Tuesday, months after it recognized him as the world's oldest man.
The newest of these not-for-the-faint-of-heart structures is called Tianti (“Sky Ladder” in Chinese). It clocks in at 168 metres and stretches between two cliffs at a height of 5,000 feet, according to Chinese state media.
In an announcement Monday, Dictionary.com said one word experienced a 'meteoric rise in usage' in 2024.
NBA legend Charles Barkley has criticized the Los Angeles Lakers over their handling of Bronny James this season.
The Utah Hockey Club got the full Toronto experience Sunday night ahead of their first-ever matchup against the Maple Leafs—bumper-to-bumper traffic that forced the team to walk to the game.
Two weeks after the Vancouver Whitecaps’ playoff run ended in the first round, the team has fired head coach Vanni Sartini.
An Ontario woman thought she got a good deal when she bought a van for $2,700, but later learned the odometer had been rolled back nearly 100,000 kilometres.
Nearly 46,000 electric vehicles from Kia, Hyundai and Genesis are being recalled in Canada over a potential power loss issue that can increase the risk of a crash.
Northvolt AB has filed for bankruptcy protection in the United States, but said the move will not jeopardize the manufacturer's planned electric vehicle battery plant in Quebec — though hundreds of millions of taxpayer dollars invested in the parent company could be lost.
Andrea Arnold is used to having to slow down to let deer cross the road in her Northern B.C. community. But this weekend she saw something that made her pull over and snap a photo.
Every single item misplaced on a bus or ferry in the Halifax Regional Municipality ends up in a small office at the Halifax Transit Bridge Terminal in Dartmouth, N.S.
A new public opinion survey has found that 40 per cent of Torontonians don’t feel safe, while half reported that the quality of life in the city has worsened over the last year.
Edmonton's theatre community is in mourning after an actor died during a performance of "A Christmas Carol" at the Citadel Theatre on Sunday.
A beaver found with an arrow shot through its torso is now recovering at Shades of Hope Wildlife Refuge in Pefferlaw, Ont. after a massive rescue effort.
The family of a soldier who fought during the Second World War has been reunited with letters written to him 80 years ago.
The holidays may be a time for family, joy and togetherness, but they can also be hard on the wallet.
Humans weren’t the only ones who struggled through the bomb cyclone that formed off the B.C. coast this week, bringing intense winds and choppy seas.
After driving near the water that winter day, Brian Lavery thought he saw a dog splashing in the waves – then realized it was way too cold for that.
The tree at the B.C. legislature is already up and decorated, but you would be hard pressed to spot an MLA in the hallways, and they won't gather in the chamber for more than two months, until February's Throne Speech.
A social media poster has shared an up-close encounter with a coyote on a leafy residential street in a Vancouver neighbourhood.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and members of his cabinet are expected to face fresh questions today about Donald Trump vowing to impose a 25 per cent tariff on all products from Canada and Mexico on his first day in office, if border issues aren’t addressed.
Notorious killer Paul Bernardo is scheduled to appear before the Parole Board of Canada today for a hearing.
An Ontario woman thought she got a good deal when she bought a van for $2,700, but later learned the odometer had been rolled back nearly 100,000 kilometres.
One person has been transported to hospital following a shooting in Etobicoke early Tuesday morning, Toronto police say.
With the United States being Alberta’s top trade partner, sweeping 25 per cent tariffs proposed by President-Elect Donald Trump could have a major effect on the province’s economy.
Animal shelters in Calgary are facing a crisis as the number of people surrendering pets continues to rise.
It's been more than 40 years since coal was king in the scenic Crowsnest Pass of southwestern Alberta, but a referendum vote Monday could sway a contentious debate on bringing it back.
The City of Ottawa's Transit Commission has approved the 2025 draft transit budget and has voted in favour of a smaller, but still significant, fare hike for seniors.
School buses are running in Ottawa on Tuesday after freezing rain was reported in the capital overnight.
The Ottawa Police Service (OPS) says it has seen "positive" results to a new strategy to reduce crime and increase foot patrols and officer presence in high-priority areas in the downtown core.
Premier François Legault says President-elect Donald Trump's threat of a 25 per cent tariff on all imports would pose a 'huge risk' to the Quebec and Canadian economies.
A 'mixed bag' of precipitation is in store for the Greater Montreal area, according to Environment and Climate Change Canada.
Montreal police says it will be conducting searches on the banks of the Riviere des Mille-Iles in Laval in connection with a murder that took place in 2022.
Edmonton's theatre community is in mourning after an actor died during a performance of "A Christmas Carol" at the Citadel Theatre on Sunday.
With the United States being Alberta’s top trade partner, sweeping 25 per cent tariffs proposed by President-Elect Donald Trump could have a major effect on the province’s economy.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and members of his cabinet are expected to face fresh questions today about Donald Trump vowing to impose a 25 per cent tariff on all products from Canada and Mexico on his first day in office, if border issues aren’t addressed.
Nova Scotians will cast their votes Tuesday in a snap provincial election.
Carol Sheaves of Moncton, N.B., says it's not fair that retirees like her won't get the government's newly proposed rebate cheques. Sheaves was among the seniors who expressed their frustrations to CTVNews.ca about not being eligible for the $250 government benefit.
Ken and Peggy MacDonald have been out searching every day - all 141 days - since their son, Justin MacDonald, disappeared back in the summer.
Manitoba Premier Wab Kinew offered condolences Monday to the families affected by two fatal police shootings in the province and spoke to the challenge faced by officers on the front lines.
Tuesday morning commuters are being warned to expect delays after a crash knocked down a traffic signal pole at a Winnipeg intersection.
Manitoba municipalities want action from the province to deal with what one rural mayor describes as an alarming number of needles turning up in rural communities.
Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe says if President-elect Donald Trump imposes a 25 per cent tariff on goods from Canada and Mexico it would have a disastrous effect on food security and energy across North America.
The Canadian Western Agribition (CWA) officially kicked off Monday with the ceremonial burning of the brand.
Canada Post says it's missed out on delivering an estimated 10 million parcels as a strike by more than 55,000 workers across the country continues ahead of Black Friday.
The City of Waterloo is trying to make its roads safer by putting together a report on some of the locations with the most crashes in the past five years.
A single mother and her disabled, terminally ill son are facing an overwhelming transportation crisis after their accessible van was vandalized beyond repair.
A driver from Hamilton has been charged in a Waterloo collision Monday evening, where one vehicle involved struck a business.
Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe says if President-elect Donald Trump imposes a 25 per cent tariff on goods from Canada and Mexico it would have a disastrous effect on food security and energy across North America.
With the second major snowfall of the year happening less than a week after the first, it’s all hands-on deck as residents and businesses tackle heaps of the white stuff.
The City of Saskatoon has chosen not to activate its roadways emergency response plan despite a weekend of heavy snowfall reaching the 25-centimetre threshold.
One person has been killed in a four-vehicle collision on Highway 17 east of Bruce Mines.
An Ontario woman thought she got a good deal when she bought a van for $2,700, but later learned the odometer had been rolled back nearly 100,000 kilometres.
Carol Sheaves of Moncton, N.B., says it's not fair that retirees like her won't get the government's newly proposed rebate cheques. Sheaves was among the seniors who expressed their frustrations to CTVNews.ca about not being eligible for the $250 government benefit.
A stretch of road south of Ingersoll is expected to be closed for several hours following a crash. OPP are on scene of the two-vehicle crash on Plank Line, which is closed between McBeth Road and Salford Road.
A good reminder for Londoners to lock their cars, a woman is facing charges after being spotted trying to open car doors in the east end of the city over the weekend.
London police said that no-one was injured when the back entrance of a downtown cannabis shop was sprayed with gunfire early on Monday morning.
James Schwalm sat in the prisoner’s box Monday morning weeping as friends and family members told the court about the devastation he caused when he murdered his wife, Ashley Milnes, two years ago inside their Collingwood, Ont. home.
A Thornhill resident accused of driving at a high rate of speed along Highway 11 in Muskoka while impaired faces charges.
Fire crews battled flames and thick smoke shooting from a seasonal home in Tiny Township on Monday.
Around 11:54 p.m. on Nov. 17, OPP responded to a home on Lakeshore Drive in Leamington where it was reported two men that the homeowner didn't know, entered the home wearing gas masks and carrying a suspected noxious substance.
Windsor police were on the scene of what was being called an, "active investigation" on Monday afternoon. "Expect a sustained police presence in the area," read a post on social media.
Windsor police arrested two motorists for impaired driving in separate incidents over the weekend, including a mom with two small children in the backseat.
The tree at the B.C. legislature is already up and decorated, but you would be hard pressed to spot an MLA in the hallways, and they won't gather in the chamber for more than two months, until February's Throne Speech.
On Monday, the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, YWCA Metro Vancouver rolled out an ad campaign aimed at educating people about how prevalent sexual violence is in their communities.
OpenTable has revealed its list of the year’s top 100 Canadian restaurants, and 15 of those are from British Columbia.
Police are appealing for information on a targeted shooting that resulted in the hospitalization of a man in Kamloops.
British Columbia's independent police watchdog has cleared officers of wrongdoing in a crash where three people were killed south of Kamloops in July of last year.
A B.C. woman who stole more than $14,000 in volunteer-raised funds that were supposed to be spent on school supplies and programs – including hot meals for vulnerable kids – won't spend any time in jail.
Alberta Opposition Leader Naheed Nenshi says a decision not to mail out voter registration cards due to the Canada Post strike could hurt turnout in a provincial byelection that's been called for a week before Christmas.
Lethbridge businesses are starting to feel the pressure after 11 days of the Canada Post workers’ strike. The strike comes right as the Christmas shopping season is kicking into high gear.
The City of Lethbridge activated its snow routes Monday for the first time this season.
Two commercial motor vehicle drivers were killed Monday morning in a three-vehicle crash on Highway 17 near Kenora.
A 24-year-old in Sault Ste. Marie has been charged with attacking a rideshare driver and a police officer.
Three people have been charged with numerous drug and weapons offences following an incident at a gas station in Bruce Mines, Ont., on Nov. 21.
A Newfoundland energy company's embrace of data centres is raising doubts about eastern Canadian hopes of harnessing the region's howling winds to supply Germany with power from green hydrogen.
An international group led by a Canadian is in Rome this week to push the Catholic Church to adopt a zero-tolerance policy on abuse by clergy.
A company hoping to build a multi-billion-dollar wind-to-hydrogen project in western Newfoundland is eyeing other options as Canada's plans to supply Europe with green energy have not yet materialized.
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