We’re officially in the “dog days” or “lazy days” of summer. But based on the frenetic activity of many of the leaders I coach, you wouldn’t know it. These days, our summer schedules are just as busy as the rest of the year.
WE NEED A BREAK.
I recently stepped away from my coaching practice to take a vacation. Sure, I was stressed about tying up loose ends beforehand, but vowed to not be on email during the trip. Those two weeks away from work felt like a much longer break because being fully present and in the moment slows down our perception of time. Shifting gears from busy work days into a vacation routine of walking, exploring, and napping, provided many benefits.
But we don’t have to go on vacation in order to benefit from downtime. We can take a long walk in nature, an afternoon away from the office, or implement a 60-minute “Shultz hour” that stimulates creativity and productivity (https://www.nytimes.com/2017/04/18/opinion/youre-too-busy-you-need-a-shultz-hour.html). It’s ironic that when we are “doing nothing” that we can more readily access our inner wisdom and tap into inspiration.
Here are some of the benefits of downtime:
- New perspectives – Taking time away gives us a different perspective on an issue or problem we are facing and helps us to reframe our expectations about what is possible.
- Stress reduction – Allows us to recharge our batteries and put stressful situations into context (i.e. “It’s not the end of the world.”)
- Increased creativity and productivity – Ideas seem to appear “out of nowhere.” Remember that amazing idea you had in the shower?
- Better bosses – Our employees appreciate it when we are in a lighter mood and don’t take things quite so seriously. We are also role modeling the importance of taking time away from work.
- Identify personal values – What is really important in our personal and professional lives? We can gain insights about what we value through quiet time and reflection.
- Mindfulness – Sometimes we are so busy “doing” that we forget the importance of “being.” We get too swept up in our roles as a leader, owner, SVP, etc. that we forget what is important as humans.
How will you incorporate meaningful downtime into your own weekly routine?