{"id":10898,"date":"2019-12-10T07:00:31","date_gmt":"2019-12-10T12:00:31","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/mgrush.com\/blog\/?p=10898"},"modified":"2026-04-21T13:08:08","modified_gmt":"2026-04-21T17:08:08","slug":"special-meeting-break","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/mgrush.com\/blog\/special-meeting-break\/","title":{"rendered":"How To Save Your Meeting With A \u2018Special\u2019 Meeting Break"},"content":{"rendered":"

Think of a meeting break as a pressure relief valve.<\/strong> Under normal circumstances, a standard ten-minute break, every seventy-five minutes or so, allows participants to decompress so they can return to the meeting refreshed and on track. However, when a minor disagreement threatens to explode into a full-blown situation, you need more than a standard break. For such times, use one of the ‘special’ meeting break methods below.<\/h2>\n
\"Take<\/a>

When the pressure gets to be too much, take a ‘special’ meeting break.<\/span><\/strong><\/p><\/div>\n

Method: When THEY Need a Meeting Break<\/h3>\n

Whenever the group gets stuck on a subject, begins to go round and round in a circular argument, displays drowsiness, exhibits brain-dead comments or motions, etc, take a ‘special’ meeting break. Before you send them on a break, however, command the following:<\/span><\/p>\n

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  1. Instead of the standard 10-minute break, give them an additional five minutes (15 minutes total).<\/span><\/li>\n
  2. Write down a question (visually<\/a>) they need to answer when the break time has concluded.<\/span><\/li>\n
  3. Tell them to use ten minutes for themselves (ie, phone, email, bathroom, etc.), but to take the additional five minutes and walk around, preferably getting some fresh air (outside, perhaps in an outdoor courtyard or near a fountain), and even doing some minor stretching.<\/span><\/li>\n
  4. During the \u2018special\u2019 five minutes, tell them to develop their responses to the question you have posted visually (easel, projector, or whiteboard).<\/span><\/li>\n
  5. When participants return, begin with input and new ideas<\/a> they developed during the break.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    Method: When YOU Need a Meeting Break<\/h3>\n

    As the leader, perhaps you are stuck, saturated, or brain-dead\u2014so, take a break. Before you begin this \u2018special\u2019 meeting break, however, repeat the five steps above. Note the following benefits that accrue from this approach:<\/span><\/p>\n