The Value of Time Off

The Value of Time Off

I apologize in advance if I get a little preachy in this one.  I am fresh off almost two weeks off around the holidays, thank you for some preferential calendar treatment, and I feel great.  I got away with my family and simply enjoyed some R&R.  I love the end of the year, as it really gives you some time to reflect and get geared up for the year ahead.  I am super excited for all the big things I’ll be working on for Diversified and helping take us to new heights. 

Time Off For Your Brain

Now, one of the big insights I was having while reflecting was how valuable and important giving your brain time to breathe is.  Here is where I start to get preachy, apologies again.  You see, most of us wake up to a hectic morning culminating in us getting to work.  Then, while at work, there is usually so much to do, we hop from one activity to another basically seamlessly.  Then the whistle blows, or at least in the Flintstones version, and we rush home to kids’ activities, our activities, and to spend time with our loved ones.  All culminating with us putting our heads on a pillow to head to Never Never Land and do it all over again.

Does this sound familiar to any of you?  Or should I say, does this sound familiar to basically every one of us working stiffs?  What is my point in bringing all this up?  My point is to point out a few key things.  First, what didn’t you hear in that long list of daily activities?  You guessed it, time to sit back and reflect, create, ruminate, and get into deep thoughts. 

Next, now, although the brain is not technically a muscle, I had to look it up; it is an organ, it sure as heck feels like it.  Despite taking up a measly 2% of our body weight, it consumes 20% of the entire body’s energy.  For instance, ever had a very taxing mental day and you are exhausted despite never leaving your chair?  Case and point!  In any event, I bring this up as if your life even remotely resembles what I mentioned earlier, you are not allowing your most valuable muscle (organ) to have the space it needs.  The space needs to do more than finish the newest task at hand.  The space is needed to create, problem solve, and think creatively about the future.

These are the characteristics and traits that the most successful leaders and innovators focus on.  They are religious about building time into their day to simply have space.  By doing so, they provide that big ole brain of yours the space it needs to rest and think rather than react.  I find the more time in my day that I can create large or mini moments to allow my brain to do nothing, the more that brain does incredible things (and trust me, I’m not working with any brilliant organ here). 

Action Plan

Believe me?  Great.  Don’t believe me?  Great.  Regardless, why not give it the good old college try, and I don’t mean drowning it with Natty Light.  Rather, start by building in a few 15 minutes a day, and for extra credit, make it in or around the busiest time of your day.  You can schedule it in your calendar, so no one books anything, or simply put a reminder on your phone to go off every so often as a reminder.  Whatever works best for you, but simply make it a priority.  Take that time to think, reflect, meditate, doodle, read, or anything the brain desires.  You don’t need to create rules, especially at first.  The biggest key here is to force the time needed for that brain to rest so you can give it the best opportunity to flourish. 

Give it a try, and love to hear any feedback from those of you who follow through.  As for me, this big old organ of mine is spent from righting this, so gonna go chillax, SIKE!

As always, stay wealthy, healthy, and happy.