Last week Elements stepped away from our work demands for a much-needed break to refresh and refocus, and boy, did we need it!
During this crazy year, it may be easy to decide to skip taking time off, but there are so many benefits (that science supports) to taking a break, including:
- Restoring passion and drive
- Refocusing goals
- Providing time for self-development through interests / hobbies
- Offering a fresh perspective for better decision-making
- Reestablishing organizational / productivity habits
- Preventing stress to avoid burnout
- And my favorite, helping to regain focus
It hasn’t been a normal year for any of us. Summer camps were canceled, kids (and/or spouses) are home and underfoot, no gatherings, travel bans and state-imposed quarantines … it’s daunting. However, this is why we desperately need to take some downtime.
The Silver Lining
In order to do our best work, we know that our brains need to switch focus from active to rest and recovery. Athletes were the first to recognize that recovery is a critical part of peak performance. When we don’t give our brains a chance to rest, not only do we see physical signs, but we also pay the price in our creativity, decision-making, productivity and focus.
One of my favorite examples of the need to shift focus to do our best work is the story of Lin-Manuel Miranda’s inspiration for creating “Hamilton”. Hamilton was written because Lin-Manuel took a break. He happened to pick up a copy of Ron Chernow’s Hamilton biography to read on vacation when inspiration struck. Had he never taken time off, Hamilton would have never been created. Imagine what you could do with a little bit of downtime?
This year has made it especially challenging to get away, but forcing us to think differently about time for ourselves is the silver lining. Get creative with these ideas:
- Take short breaks. On busy days when I have a long to-do list, I use this tactic to keep me productive: I assign a time to tasks and set a timer; when the timer goes off — no matter where I am in the project — I stop. Then I start the timer again for 10 minutes and use that time to read, stretch, grab a snack — anything away from my computer and phone. I come back more focused to move on to the next task or complete the first one by setting my timer again. I do this all day. I get more done and I am more focused and creative, but I also feel like I had time for myself.
- Take days off. If you (like me) can’t get away this year because of all the unusual circumstances and concerns, take days off instead. Plan a day to do something or go somewhere new; change your environment and mentally detach for the day while stimulating your imagination.
- Take one evening a week off. Order takeout and eat al fresco, watch a movie, have a virtual happy hour, watch the sunset, etc. My daughter and I enjoy having ‘spa nights’ when we put on face masks, paint our nails, sip sparkling water and relax to Spotify spa music. Planning these nights in advance gives you something to look forward to which helps push you through the week.
- Consider working remotely, even if you already work remotely. Since March, our team has been working from home. Every once in a while it’s nice to step away from my desk and take my laptop somewhere else to work. Sometimes it’s outside on the deck, and sometimes it’s at a local park. Changing your scenery does amazing things.
- Take walks in the woods. Nature is so restoring, and we’re lucky to have so many great local spots to safely visit in our community. If the woods aren’t your thing, any place where you are close to nature (a park, a beach, a garden) will still do wonders!
- Switch up your work day. If you’re able to get your work done at different times without affecting your team or clients, temporarily shifting around your hours to free up time to do something for yourself will help you feel rejuvenated. You don’t even have to leave home!
- Plan to rest. Taking a short nap can help reset an imbalance of hours working vs. hours sleeping. I’ve never been good at taking naps, but for those who are, they can be amazingly restorative. If you’re feeling low, structure your day to include an afternoon nap. Make sure you set an alarm but leave your computer and phone on silent. You’ll probably find it’s your most productive day of the week!
- Pursue a passion project or new hobby. This idea started when my kids switched to virtual learning in March. I wanted to have an activity for them when their school day ended that expanded all of our minds in a different way, and also spend a little time together before heading back into my home office and closing the door. We learned new recipes, tried science experiments, I taught them sign language, painted and took photos. We all looked forward to these ‘classes’ together that expanded our knowledge and gave us time away from work / school to switch our brains to something new. I can’t tell you how many creative ideas came to me while I was working on something out of the norm. Try it!
I hope I’ve convinced you — even inspired you — to take some time away while the weather is still nice, even if it’s just an afternoon cat nap or a day trip. Change your perspective and rest your brain; you will be amazed by how refocused you will feel.
For us here at Elements, it’s back to work this week, and we are ready for it! We have some exciting new projects and are working on a few internal ideas we can’t wait to share with you.
If you need help gaining focus on where you should take your business, questions about marketing or design needs, please let us know. We are ready to tackle the rest of 2020 with you. Let’s go!
— Amy
