Coffee break in the office: a host of benefits, but not for everyone

To wake you up in the morning, combat that after-lunch sluggishness, pick you up between meetings, help you relax as you take a break or share a quick but entertaining moment with a colleague. There’s always a good reason for taking a coffee break in the office and for savouring a pleasure in the form of this drink which is such a favourite with Italians and such a deep-rooted part of our tradition.

The importance of this daily ritual is confirmed by various scientific studies, including research carried out by the Department of Psychology at New York University: every small break taken during our working activity or studies promotes the brain activity and in particular, our memory. But this is not the only advantage: drinking coffee while you take a break has many benefits.

Benefits of taking a coffee break in the office

Physical, psychological and social. The benefits of the coffee break in the office are of different types:

• Physical. Those who do a sedentary job and have to sit behind a desk for long hours risk a series of physical ailments. Getting up and taking a few steps to go and make yourself an espresso is a pleasant and healthy way to take a break, with positive effects on the circulation.
• Psychological. Taking your mind off things with a small break, perhaps chatting with a colleague while you sip your favourite drink is an effective way to rid the mind of stress and tension.
• Social. Short-lived flirting (and perhaps more rarely, eternal love stories), friendships that last for decades and profitable professional relationships often hatch from coffees consumed in the workplace, making the coffee break a unique occasion for relaxing and offloading tension.

Naturally, all these positive effects reflect on the company: a person with physical problems, or one who feels stressed or isolated can never work effectively. And that’s not all: it is scientifically proven that drinking coffee with your colleagues improves team work. And yet, there are also those who would do better to find an alternative.

Drinking coffee in the office, a pleasure not suitable for everyone

Not everyone can treat themselves to a cup of espresso without a care in the world, least of all in the workplace. Indeed, for some people, the contraindications of coffee outweigh its benefits:

• It plays a part in increasing the production of gastric acids, with unpleasant effects for those who suffer from gastritis or stomach problems. Those in this category should at least avoid drinking coffee on an empty stomach.
• It stimulates a condition of nervous agitation, a characteristic that suffices to rule out its consumption (not only in the workplace) for those who suffer from anxiety or panic attacks.
• It increases the heart rate, so those who suffer from heart conditions would do better to make themselves a tasty decaffeinated coffee.

Instead, to those who can enjoy a coffee break in the office worry-free, we recommend making it even more enjoyable with the unique aroma of the capsules that are just as good as the coffee you drink at the bar or the compatible capsules with an unmistakeable taste.