Working long hours and investing in a project with fervor and passion is a true asset in a person. Investing your whole self into something deserves the utmost admiration and most often leads to success stories for companies and clients alike.
The rub, however, is that we all need a break. On the regular and with intention. According to the Harvard Business Review.
“Studies show we have a limited capacity for concentrating over extended time periods, and though we may not be practiced at recognizing the symptoms of fatigue, they unavoidably derail our work.”
We’re all aware that we get fatigued when sitting, staring, and dreaming up ideas every day. Our normal inclination is to power through and see our ideas to completion, however, the idea of a scheduled (or impromptu) break is likely going to act as a catalyst for expanding your capacity to do the best work you can.
At Proof, we encourage our team to spend time each day talking to co workers about personal life. Often, I tell people to take a break, grab a coffee, go for a walk, or enjoy the active life and chaos we have right outside of our windows here in East Nashville.
The folks over at Buffer offer some great advice and actionable steps for how to intentionally plan breaks each day (pro tip: take a break at 3pm – the least productive time of the day).
Great work doesn’t come from driving yourself into the ground hours on end. Letting the mind and body rest is a good thing and – hey – research says it’s better for your creativity and production, by working harder and more intentionally in the time you’ve allowed for yourself.
Now that you’ve read this, go grab a coffee, take a stroll around the block, and let your mind and body have the break they need so you can do your best work.