Microbreaks for Caregivers: Something Is Better Than Nothing

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:

• Mental: Practice deep breathing or try mindfulness techniques such as a quick meditation or movement sequence.
• Physical: Perform light stretches while you’re cooking or waiting on laundry. Take a brisk walk outside.
• Emotional: Step outside for fresh air or look at something joyful or funny. Scream into a pillow.
• Creative: Do a quick doodle, listen to a favorite song, or write a few sentences in a journal during a quiet time.
• Spiritual: Step away and spend a few minutes in prayer or meditation.

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:

• Take advantage of lulls in your loved one’s needs, using this time to do something that’s genuinely restorative for you.
• Aim for one microbreak every 20 to 60 minutes, but don’t give up entirely if you can only manage one every couple of hours. Something is better than nothing.
• Microbreaks are technically 30 seconds to five minutes, but if you’re able to rest for longer, do! The 2022 meta-analysis mentioned earlier found that longer breaks improved participants’ performance even more (Albulescu, 2022).
• If it helps you to get in the habit, use a timer to remind you when it’s time for a break.
• Use a baby monitor or your home’s security cameras to allow your brief absence if necessary.
• If other family members are capable and present, engage them to support you in getting small breaks.
• Don’t feel guilty! Resting makes you a better caregiver.

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:

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• You don’t have to do it alone. Identify resources in your community for things like respite care, independence coaching, transportation services, nursing, meals, and diagnosis-specific support.
• Make time for your hobbies. Your own joy and identity are essential to maintaining your physical and mental health. Recruit family members to support you or bring your cared-for loved one along with you.
• Commit to date nights. If you’re married or in a romantic relationship, plan and protect regular date nights to nurture your connection with your partner.
• Find a support network. Groups like NAMI, Working Daughter, and CoDA offer in-person or online support groups that provide solidarity and sometimes change participants’ lives.
• Make contingency plans. Get all legal, financial, and care plans in place for your loved one in the event that you’re no longer able to care for them. The underlying stress of not having these items handled is a bigger burden than many caregivers realize and can absolutely contribute to burnout.
• Understand your family dynamic. Carrie emphasizes the importance of recognizing dysfunction within caregiving relationships. She recommends several books to help families navigate challenges and identify underlying patterns: Codependent No More, When Our Grown Kids Disappoint Us, Adult Children of Emotionally Immature Parents, and Boundaries: When to Say Yes, How to Say No To Take Control of Your Life.

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.