A recent study shows that using your cell phone for a break during demanding mental work doesn't restore cognitive energy—in fact, it can lead to greater fatigue and poorer performance. Researchers had college students tackle challenging word puzzles. Midway through, some took breaks scrolling on their phones, others used paper or a computer, and a third group pushed on without pausing.
Phone-break takers reported the highest mental exhaustion and struggled most with puzzles afterward. Their speed and efficiency post-break matched those who skipped breaks, solving just slightly more puzzles than non-breakers but far fewer than other groups.
Compared to other break methods, phone users took 19% longer to finish the task and solved 22% fewer problems overall.
The study involved 414 participants solving sets of 20 word puzzles each. For breaks, they chose three items to buy within a budget using a cell phone, paper circular, or computer, then typed or wrote their reasons.
