How to recharge your batteries
I’m guessing that you’re not a robot or a machine with the ability to operate at full capacity all day, every day?
One of the most common conversations I have in my resilience coaching sessions with business leaders is that they feel “tired”. When I ask about rest periods, the most frequent response is “I’m too busy to take a break”, or “there are more important things that I need to do”.
If you are one of those people who is simply “too busy” to stop, or you consider rest to be too indulgent, selfish or low-priority, I encourage you to think again.
What if making time in your day to “rest and recharge”, every for just a few minutes at a time, could make you MORE productive, MORE focused, and MORE creative?
Rest and recharge periods can actually provide a RETURN ON TIME INVESTED. Consider this – taking just 10 minutes to step away from your work and what you’re doing – grab a glass of water, go for a walk, call a friend, step outside – can actually make you more effective and efficient when you return to your work.
Really?
YES
When my coaching clients have made the effort to take rest periods during their working day – even just 5 or 10 minutes to step away from their computer and phone – they are pleasantly surprised at how much more effective they are when they return to their work.
But why is this?
We all have an ultradian rhythm – an internal body clock that runs about every 90-120 minutes throughout the day and night. By working WITH your ultradian rhythm you could enjoy more natural energy and productivity.
The idea is that our bodies go through alternating periods of rest and activity, so that our body and mind have a chance to “recharge” before we engage in our activities. The problem arises when we IGNORE these rhythms and we try to maintain constant activity throughout the day, usually because we are so “busy”.
But by taking a break about every 90 minutes, even if that break is only 5-20 minutes, we can work WITH our body’s natural energy cycle rather than against it.
If you need any more convincing, there are plenty of research and articles about it online.
Why not give it a go for yourself?
As with all new things, you might find it unnatural at first, but after some time you should find the rest periods help you be MORE productive and focused during your work time. And it might even motivate you to get even more done during your 90 minutes of working, so you are less likely to get distracted or procrastinate.
Give it go and see how it works for you.
If you have any questions or would like to share your experiences, I would love to hear from you! Contact me for a Virtual Coffee and let’s chat.
