Anesthesiologists regularly take breaks during operations, whereas surgeons do so more rarely. This article considers the origins of this difference in practice in relation to different characteristics of the work of these 2 specialties as well as differences in professional identity, both of which can contribute to varying break practices and perceptions of the value of breaks. The authors draw upon current literature about the influence of breaks on attention, focus, and stamina and then reflect on the influence of breaks on the relationships between anesthesiologists and surgeons. Breaks in the Operating Room In virtually every context, the practice of modern medicine relies on teams of clinicians. The attitudes, interactions, and behaviors of these teams influence patient safety and have been the focus of a significant body of recent medical literature. Recognizing the importance of teamwork in the operating room, anesthesiologists and surgeons have collaborated in recent decades to improve patient safety through the development of shared mental models of the surgical plan and procedures, protocolized communication, checklists, and handoffs. 1 Over the past 30 years, team training related to perioperative patient safety has drawn on safety literature in nonmedical industries, such as the airline industry. 2 One focus of this nonmedical literature has been on the role of breaks as a way to minimize error related to fatigue, distraction, and inattention. 3 Anesthesiologists have embraced the concept of intraoperative breaks, which they describe as "relief" breaks. 4 For surgeons, however, intraoperative breaks are much more rare. In our experience as surgeons, we have witnessed conflict over breaks. We have seen surgeons experience an anesthesiologist's break and the sign-out it requires as distracting or disruptive. Sometimes, tension arises between surgeons, present throughout the course of an operation, and covering anesthesiologists, who might not be fully aware of the events of a case that occurred prior to their arrival. After observing intraoperative tension related to breaks, we sought to examine breaks more closely, through both literature review and discussion with our anesthesia colleagues.