How to tell your boss you need to close your eyes during working hours: A guide to an assertive conversation

Smokers have their ritual. What do non-smokers have?

In many companies it is perfectly normal for smokers to step outside several times a day. It is their moment to breathe, a short chat with colleagues, or simply a few minutes away from the desk. Non-smokers often stay in their seats. Now and then they go for water or coffee, but most of them have no similar ritual. And yet their mind needs rest just as much. They simply don't have a socially established reason to leave for a while.

The result is that instead of a short mental break they keep sitting at the monitor, reading the same email several times, or mindlessly scrolling on their phone. Outwardly they are working. In reality, their attention has long since left the place where it ought to be.

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The hardest part isn't closing your eyes. The hardest part is opening the subject.

Many employees only play this conversation through in their head. They wonder whether it will look as if they want to avoid work, or as if they are asking for a special exception. We often forget one important thing, though. A boss cannot read minds.

If you don't say why you need a short break, they cannot know that it will help you concentrate better, make fewer mistakes, and get through a demanding working day with greater calm. Many managers today know well that a tired employee is not less hard-working. They simply need a moment to restore their attention.

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How to talk about it naturally

You don't need to explain what mindfulness is, or convince anyone of the benefits of meditation. Speak simply, factually, and with an emphasis on what the short break will give you.

You might say, for example:

Friendly

“Can I ask you something? When colleagues go out for a smoke, would it be all right if I sat somewhere for a couple of minutes instead, closed my eyes, and let my mind rest a little? It helps me more than coffee, and then I work much better.”

Matter-of-fact

“Colleagues go out for a cigarette, and I don't smoke. Would you mind if I sometimes sat somewhere quiet for a couple of minutes instead and let my mind rest? I then find it much easier to concentrate.”

Informal

“Boss, can I ask you something? When the others go out for a smoke, could I sit somewhere for a couple of minutes instead, close my eyes, and switch off? I don't need a longer break, it just helps me rest my mind so I can focus well again afterwards.”

A sentence like that doesn't come across as an excuse. On the contrary, it shows that you care about the quality of the work you do. At the same time it is good to make clear that this is not about stretching breaks or looking for special treatment. Two minutes of quiet can be more effective than another mug of coffee or several minutes spent on a mobile phone.

We need to talk about mental well-being as naturally as we talk about an ergonomic chair

Only a few years ago, workplaces were mainly concerned with the height of the monitor, a decent chair, or the right lighting. Today we know that employees' mental fitness plays an equally important role. A short mental break is not a sign of laziness or of weak commitment to work. It is a way to restore attention, reduce the risk of unnecessary mistakes, and return to work with a clearer head.

You may be the first person to open a subject like this in your company. And you may find that your boss was only waiting for someone to start talking about it.

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In closing

We don't all have to go out for a cigarette in order to rest during the day. Every person should have the chance to slow down for a moment, take a breath, and give their mind a short break. An assertive conversation with your boss is not a request for special treatment. It is an open discussion about how to work better, more healthily, and with greater focus in the long run.

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Before you open this subject with your manager, get clear about what a short mental break gives you. Speak specifically and factually about better concentration, fewer mistakes, or greater ease at work. A short pause during the day is not a sign of weakness. It is a simple way to look after your mind as naturally as we look after our body.