Ask your boss to give you a break

Q: I work long hours as a veterinary technician and rarely receive breaks during my shifts. Don't laws require that I get at least a couple short rests?

The Fair Labor Standards Act does not require employers to provide meal periods or breaks; although, some states have created their own related laws with more strict rules. Even if yours is one of these states, bringing up the laws might put employers on the defensive rather than encouraging them to offer the breaks you deserve, says Katherine Dobbs, RVT, CVPM, PHR, president of interFace Veterinary HR Systems in Appleton, Wis.

Breaks give you time away from the stress of working on the floor and allow you to re-energize. So if you haven't been receiving a break time each day, Dobbs suggests telling your boss how giving you a few breathers will help the practice. "Let him or her know that the lack of break times is bringing down your performance and your mental stamina," she says. Make it clear that you want to provide the best patient and client care possible, and breaks will help you do this.