Microbreaks for Caregivers: Something Is Better Than Nothing
Strategies to sustain energy and resilience in the demanding role of caregiving.
Posted December 10, 2024 | Reviewed by Abigail Fagan
By Kim Nelson, MA, with Becky Shipkosky.
Nearly one in five American adults is an unpaid caregiver for another adult with a mental or physical health condition (AARP, 2020). If you’re reading this post, you’re likely within these ranks. There’s a good chance you have a full-time job or are a parent to youngsters in addition to your caregiver role.
Let’s start by acknowledging that this is a lot . Many caregivers don’t have the luxury of taking a much-needed vacation, or even a day off when they’re tired or sick. And, this may be a lifelong commitment, as is often the case for parents who care for their adult children. In any case, it’s a marathon, not a sprint. So, caregivers need many tools at their disposal to take care of themselves.
What Is a Microbreak?
If you’re experiencing caregiver burnout , “microbreak” may sound like a cruel joke, because what you really need is deep, soul-restoring rest. Indeed, microbreaks are intended to prevent burnout. If you’re already there, you may need a harder reset. (But please read on to the end for some longer-term resources.)
Microbreaks are short, intentional pauses in your day that you can do anywhere, no assembly required. It’s a concept that’s been getting a lot of attention since a 2022 meta-analysis , which concluded that “micro-breaks positively impact well-being by enhancing vigor and lowering fatigue, regardless of contextual factors (Albulescu, 2022).” The following are some examples of effective microbreaks that you can tailor to your needs:
Any conversation about the microbreak phenomenon is remiss to skip over how not ideal our circumstances must be if we’re being advised to savor a sip of water to keep from entirely melting down. It must be said: It’s not you. This is hard . With that out of the way, let us learn how to maximize microbreaks, because they really can help, and their effects are cumulative.
How to Incorporate Microbreaks for Improved Resiliency
A teeny-tiny break is not a week in Napa Valley or a day at the beach. It’s also easy to think of rest as an all-or-nothing proposition and give up on getting any at all when we feel we can’t access the amount we really want or need. It is possible, however, to benefit from small breaks throughout the day by way of burnout prevention, energy sustenance, efficiency, and care quality. To make the most of microbreaks, try these suggestions:
Beyond the Microbreak
The microbreak is a cool life hack. But, you can’t survive entirely on a few deep breaths and a cup of tea. The caregiver’s quandary is so often about how to make life more sustainable. The fact is, you do need days at the beach, or whatever your best rest looks like.
CooperRiis’ Clinical Director Carrie Hanson shared a bit of what she recommends to residents’ family caregivers around concepts like balanced autonomy, prioritizing relationships outside of those with the cared-for loved one, and self- identity . She emphasizes that caring for a loved one without appropriate boundaries and self-care takes a massive toll on marriages and other family dynamics. She offered a few strategies based on her 30 years of experience working with families:
Caregiving changes the rhythm of your life, often demanding an exhausting balance of love, duty, and endurance. Microbreaks offer a lifeline—not as a cure-all, but as a way to reclaim slivers of yourself in the chaos. They are a small act of resistance against burnout, a persistent demonstration that your needs matter too. Still, true sustainability lies in pairing these moments with bigger steps like seeking support, setting boundaries, and safeguarding the relationships that ground you. By tending to your own well-being, you create space for a life that nurtures and empowers you as well as those you care for.
New Study Reveals Number of Unpaid Caregivers in America Grew by 9.5 Million in Five Years to Total 53 Million. (2020, May 14). Aarp.Org . Retrieved December 3, 2024, from https://press.aarp.org/2020-5-14-Caregiving-in-the-US-Report .
Albulescu, P., Macsinga, I., Rusu, A.A., Sulea, C., Bodnaru, A., & Tulbure, B.T. (2022). "Give me a break!" A systematic review and meta-analysis on the efficacy of micro-breaks for increasing well-being and performance. PLoS ONE, 17 .
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This article is part of the Bringwise Psychology Journal — daily insights on human behavior, mental health, and personal growth.