The impact of within-day work breaks on daily recovery processes: An event-based pre-/post-experience sampling study

Research on recovery from work stress has emphasized the importance of within-day work breaks. However, prior research has not been designed and analysed in a way that fully aligns with the processes described by the underlying theoretical framework (i.e., the effort-recovery model). The current paper examines the effects of within-day work breaks on recovery using an event-based pre-/post (EBPP)-design, in a way that more fully captures the recovery process as described by the effort-recovery model. We also included designs used in previous studies (i.e., an interval-based design and an event-based design without pre-break strain measures) to demonstrate the differences between the EBPP design and previous designs. The results of the EBPP model using a sample of Chinese white-collar employees showed that within-day work breaks are significantly associated with reduced fatigue and negative affect and increased positive affect, supporting the predicted recovery effects of within-day work breaks. However, mixed results were found in the interval-based design, and non-significant results were found in the event-based design without pre-break measurements. We discuss methodological implications and explain how the EBPP design could be applied to study other episodic phenomena. Practitioner points An event-based pre-/post-design (EBPP) can be used to study recovery and other momentary, episodic events at work. Within-day work breaks can help employees reduce fatigue and negative affect and increase positive affect. Relaxation break activities, nutrition-intake activities, social activities, and cognitive activities help recovery.