Cities Where People Take the Most Microbreaks

Whether you work a 9 to 5, Monday through Friday, or you pick up shifts whenever they are available, anyone who works will occasionally find themselves needing a brief break—not long enough to clock out or take a lunch, but five minutes or so to step away from the grind. This is known as a microbreak, and we have found that 72% of Americans do it multiple times a day.

At Solitaire Bliss, we know that life can be stressful and demanding, especially at work. Whether it’s playing a game of Solitaire or FreeCell, it is important to take time for yourself to recharge to ensure you are refreshed to take on each new task or challenge thrown your way.

With this in mind, we set out to learn more about Americans’ microbreaks. We surveyed residents in the most populous cities across the country to determine where people are taking the most microbreaks, what types of activities they do during this break, and more. Read on to learn more about our findings.

Key Takeaways

• Americans in Virginia Beach, VA, and Miami, FL, are most likely to take multiple microbreaks a day at work.
• Nearly 1 in 4 Americans take a microbreak at least once per hour while working.
• Refreshing focus is the most common (93%) reason Americans take microbreaks.
• 56% of Americans say their boss or company encourages them to take microbreaks.
• 1 in 2 Americans say they feel more tired if they skip microbreaks.
• Nearly a third of Americans say fear of looking unproductive prevents them from taking microbreaks at work.
• Nearly 1 in 4 Americans feel guilty for taking microbreaks at work.
• Americans in remote and hybrid roles take microbreaks more frequently than those working in in-person roles.

Cities Where Workers Take Microbreaks Most at Work

Regardless of where you live, work can be stressful, and even a tiny break can make a difference. But some parts of the country have fully adopted microbreaks more than others.

Leading the charge for taking the most microbreaks at work are Virginia Beach, VA, residents. When asked how frequently they step away for a short period of time, 88% of residents say they take multiple microbreaks a day.

Up next in second place is Miami, FL, where 84% of residents take multiple microbreaks a day. We don’t always have time to step away depending on the work we do and the workload, but 1 in 4 Miami residents say they tend to feel less productive when they skip a microbreak.

We remain in the eastern part of the country for third place with Memphis, TN. Residents of the city are among the most likely in the country to say they use the time to refresh their focus. Sometimes, just a few minutes away from work can give you the boost you need to make it through the rest of the day.

Moving further north, we make it to our fourth place city, New York, NY, where 80% of residents say they take multiple breaks a day. When it comes to the purpose for these breaks, residents of the Big Apple are the most likely to say they do it to help reduce stress.

On the other end of the spectrum, Orlando, FL, residents are the least likely to take multiple microbreaks a day. They are followed by Nashville, TN, where nearly 1 in 4 residents say the fear of looking unproductive is the biggest barrier preventing them from taking microbreaks.

In addition to the cities that take the most microbreaks, we also analyzed breaks by industry. Up first, taking the most microbreaks a day are those working in real estate. When selling houses, there can be a great deal of downtime and waiting around, like at an open house. So it only makes sense that Americans working in real estate are the most likely to take microbreaks due to boredom.

The food services industry is up next, as 1 in 3 workers say they take at least one break every hour. Healthcare follows closely behind in third place, as 91% of workers in the industry say they take their breaks to reduce stress. Overall, nearly 1 in 4 Americans take microbreaks at least once per hour while working, and younger generations tend to take them more than older generations on average.

What Americans Are Most Likely to Do During Microbreaks

Now that we have covered where people are taking the most microbreaks, we want to dive into the activities that are filling this brief time. The most common activity is checking personal messages, which 93% of people say they do. It can be difficult to respond to non-urgent messages during the workday, so it’s no surprise that a majority of Americans are taking this time to check in with their friends and family.

Up next, with 89% of workers doing it, is eating snacks. Whether you skipped breakfast or just need a little extra fuel to make it through the day, taking a few minutes to snack is sure to give you the energy needed to focus. Similar to our number one activity, checking personal emails is third on our list, followed by browsing online and stretching in fourth and fifth place, respectively.

Head of monetization at Solitaire Bliss, Emry DowningHall, says “Work can be stressful at times, but remembering to take time to step away for just a couple of minutes can help alleviate that stress. As we have found in this study, there are many ways to unwind during a microbreak from eating a snack or stretching to taking a walk or playing a game. To our surprise even something as simple as zoning out or doing nothing for a minute can be all you need to feel refreshed.”

While workers can find many reasons for taking a microbreak at work, we discovered the most common one is to reduce stress. From working on a major project to engaging with difficult clients, taking five minutes or so can give you a mental break and help stress fade.

For 81% of Americans, taking a break from screens is the main reason they take microbreaks. According to the National Library of Medicine, staring at a screen for too long can have negative physical effects on us including, pain in your neck, shoulders, and back as well as eye strain. So if you find yourself looking at a computer screen for a majority of your workday, it can be important to make sure you are giving yourself breaks as needed to avoid strain.

The third most popular reason for microbreaks among American workers is boredom (63%), while 55% of people say they do it due to impulse. Sometimes, external factors play a role in the number of microbreaks workers are taking.

For 56% of people, their boss or company encourages the breaks, and another 1 in 2 Americans say if they skip microbreaks they tend to feel more tired. The brief breaks are not just for those working at an office, however, as we found those in remote and hybrid roles take microbreaks more frequently than those working in-person.

Find Bliss During Your Microbreaks with Gaming

Whether you need a break from work or a moment to yourself away from the hustle and bustle of life, taking a microbreak can offer you the refresh you need to get through the day. At Solitaire Bliss, we know the importance of having time to unwind. That’s why we offer a variety of online games that can be played anywhere, anytime.

Next time you find yourself stepping away from your desk for a short break, try a game of Spider Solitaire or Crescent Solitaire to pass the time.

Methodology

In this study, we set out to determine where in the U.S. workers are taking the most microbreaks. To do this, we surveyed residents in several of the most populous cities across the country and asked about how frequently they take microbreaks, what they do during these breaks, and more.

To determine which cities have the highest frequency, we totaled the percentage of people who said they take more than one microbreak a day and ranked cities from the highest to lowest percentages. Additionally, we collected the same data by career industry. Finally, we calculated the most unusually popular activity done during microbreaks in each city by comparing the total number of respondents that do the activity in each city compared to the national total.