Taking Long Breaks

First, let us shed lights on why do trainees make this mistake!

In general, young trainees find themselves in a strong need to know a lot of things outside the workplace. When they take a break, they do not know:

• Where to spend it
• Where to eat
• The gardens to sit in
• Is there is possible traffic, so they cannot come back easily to the workplace,
• How long it takes to be served the food they order.

So it is very recommended that they spend their breaks during the first month inside the workplace, or in a very close place so that they come back before the break time is over.

As a trainee, the best way to start your training is to benefit from your breaks to the maximum by:

• Making it just as long as you are told it should be,
• Asking for verification on the tasks you did,
• Doing what does not require much time,
• Sharing with a colleague some new ideas,
• Asking colleagues and bosses to teach you more.

In general, you need to do something that makes your image brighter in the eyes of whoever works with you. On the first days, never show that you are careless when it comes to time. Remember, you are given the training opportunity, in order to HELP overwhelmed colleagues. Please think of that first.

When the break time comes, we:

• Do not do an activity which wastes our energy,
• Do not waste our time,
• Do not start something which requires more than the break time,
• We do not go home to eat,
• Stay close to the work place, in case someone needs our help.

Breaks are designed to refill our batteries. They are not created to do a big effort at the expense of the energy needed at work. Breaks are just a short stop from work, and they are never an occasion to go home, take lunch, and come back later sleepy.

I remember one of the trainees I trained. On the very first day, he went for a two hours break. I asked him about what made him late, and he answered saying that he had gone home and took a nap. Needless to say that the whole staff did not like it.  Later on, he showed that he was a very careless person with regard to time, and a real Mr. Late and Mr. Tired. We simply decided not to hire him.