Effectiveness of Long Lunch Break Hours 

Authors 

Ayushi Chouhan 

Kajal Gangele 

Ritika Girdhani 

Abhishek Prasad 

 

ITM Business School

ITM Skills University

Sector 4, Kharghar

Navi Mumbai – 410210

 

Introduction 

The long hours of a college or school lunch break are disputed by many. Long breaks have been argued to allow students time to rest and possibly socialize with friends or catch up on some studies, but long breaks can break the flow and reduce concentration for later classes. Again, this complicates issues concerning performance and management of available time. More research is needed to guide how to optimize the breaks so that student productivity and engagement can be maintained.

Objective 

The objective is to assess how long lunch break hours affect social relationship patterns, mental well-being, and overall performance in academics. This study seeks to find out if longer breaks lead to a better and more productive school or college environment.

Literature Review

“What Do We Know about Breaktime? Results from a National Survey of Break Time and Lunchtime in Primary and Secondary Schools Peter” By Bletchford and Clare Sumpener in 2024. A national survey of schools in England found a trend toward reducing lunch and afternoon breaks due to teaching demands and behavioral concerns, despite the potential social value of break times for pupils. The study suggests the importance of reconsidering break times in educational policies. [1]

“A mixed-methods evaluation of a school wellness initiative: An examination of longer lunch periods and more physical activity opportunities” by Cohen, J. F. W., Scott, M., Sutton in 2021. This is a research article about the impact of implementing longer lunch periods and recess on student outcomes. The findings suggest that this initiative reduces students’ hunger levels and improves their focus and behaviors in the classroom. [2]

Data Collection

The following questions were framed on a Likert scale with the help of Google form and students of ITM were surveyed. 

1. It allows me to relax and de-stress
2. It helps me in socializing and networking
3. It allows me to manage my time effectively 
4. I enjoy using the college’s facilities after lunch.
5. It provides me with ample time for my studies.

Data Analysis

We got a total of 109 responses. And for every question Mean, Std. Deviation, Std. Error and Z Scores were calculated to analyze the data.

Table 1

Statistics	Q1	Q2	Q3	Q4	Q5
Mean	3.86	3.99	3.36	3.17	3.44
Std. Deviation	1.13	1.03	1.17	1.18	1.19
Std. Error	0.11	0.10	0.11	0.11	0.11
Z Score	7.82	9.90	3.27	1.55	4.00
Result	Agree	Agree	Agree	Disagree	Agree

 

Conclusion 

1. Students agree that long lunch break hours help them to relax and de-stress.
2. Students agree that long lunch break hours help them in socializing and networking.
3. Students agree that long lunch break hours allow them to effectively manage time.
4. Students disagree about enjoying using the college’s facilities after lunch.
5. Students agree that long lunch break hours provide them with ample time for their studies.

 

References

[1] Blatchford, P., & Baines, E. (2024). Break Times in schools: Their value and the trend towards reduction. Education Research Quarterly, 39(2), 123-134.

[2] Cohen, J. F. W., Scott, M., Sutton, M., (2021). A mixed-methods evaluation of a school wellness initiative: An examination of longer lunch periods and more physical activity opportunities. Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, 121(10), 1961-1974.