Many people feel you need to be a workaholic if you are going to be a success. That is not necessarily true.
Of course, hard work often goes hand in hand with success and meeting our goals. But that doesn’t mean we need to kill ourselves doing it.
Often when we work hard, to the point of keeling over, it’s as if we have something to prove either to ourselves or everyone else around us. It’s like we are saying, “Yes, I really can do it all.”
But after a while it begins to take a toll on us. Working constantly with no break doesn’t make us more productive. In fact, time away from work actually increases productivity.
A recent piece in The Atlantic positions sabbaticals outside of academia as lengthy holidays — “life without work.” It’s not ground-breaking to say humans as a whole need to work less, though I’d argue sabbaticals are not extended vacations, but rather structured and goal-oriented time away from routine. A sabbatical is a neurological reset; it’s dedicated learning, not checking out.
Why Taking Time Away From Work Is Important
1. Do More in Less Time.
Lack of sleep, fatigue, and stress all have effects on us. They cause a drain on our energy levels and make problem solving much more difficult.
It’s hard to stay on task when we are running out of mental fuel. When rested, everything we do can be done in less time. That allows us to do more in a shorter time span.
2. Prevents Burn Out
Time away from work increases productivity by preventing burn out. Vacations, morning and afternoon breaks, and lunch periods are all opportunities to shut our minds off.
Allowing ourselves to disconnect gives our brains a chance to rest. Think of it like plugging in a cell phone to recharge either at night or during the day. It isn’t going to continue running if we don’t charge it up now and again.
3. Boosts Creativity
Many people get in a slump in the middle of the afternoon. That is the perfect time to take a fast paced, 5 to 10 minute walk.
Cardio activity can actually boost our productivity for up to about two hours after exercise. This allows us to do what we do best but faster. Not only that, but it can spur our creativity and problem solving abilities as well.
When we get up, even for a little while, it gets us moving and makes our heart start pumping. This increases our blood flow to every part of our bodies, including our brains.
We see things differently. As we form new perspectives on issue or problems we become more innovative and creative at solving them.
4. Learn More
Grade school aged children get recess time at school. As it turns out, there may be a good reason for that. There is a big benefit to giving ourselves some recess time in a similar way.
Once we get up and away from everything even for a little while we can come back to work and direct our focus on learning new tasks or taking on different problems.
5. Get Sick Less
There are health benefits to taking time away from work. Many people need fewer sick days when they are less stressed. Less stress equals better health equals greater productivity.
Obviously working hard is a key part of being successful. But time away from work increases productivity too. To be the best we can, therefore, we should all take breaks periodically and work hard the rest of the time.
The case for (temporarily) leaving your company
Few professionals need sabbaticals more than entrepreneurs, who are at higher risk of mental illness. It’s easy to crack under the routine and weight of running a business, and high-octane habits can lead to burnout, which I’ve come to think of like a repetitive stress injury to the brain. Burnout is the result of using the same neural pathways repeatedly until they’re shredded. Disrupting habits in a new environment carves new paths, essentially healing our minds to help us focus and gain perspective.
Professors take sabbaticals to conduct primary research, write books or publish papers. Typically, academics take between three and nine months off every seven years. Like Chris, your sabbatical project might be directed inward while you contemplate an acquisition or sale. Taking a break from your company to see how you function on the outside is an important first step to imagining life beyond your business. Other entrepreneurs might choose more literal research, studying a topic to write a book or expand into a new market. Big-picture thinking is best done without the restraints of daily decisions.
