Rest is essential for maintaining productivity, but in today’s fast-paced world, it’s becoming increasingly difficult to strike a balance between work and rest. We’re constantly chasing the elusive goal of “peak productivity,” often at the expense of our health and well-being.
Research shows that Americans are working longer hours than ever before, with 85% of full-time employees reporting that they work more than 40 hours per week.
But why are we pushing ourselves to the brink of exhaustion?
In my experience, it’s a combination of factors, including comparison paralysis and fake gurus. We’re bombarded by images and stories of successful people who seem to have it all figured out, leading us to believe that the only way to achieve similar success is to work longer and harder.
Meanwhile, self-proclaimed gurus are peddling false information that may not be relevant or applicable to our daily lives. In this article, we’ll explore why rest is essential for maintaining and optimizing productivity, even in the face of our busy schedules and commitments. We’ll examine the science behind rest and productivity, explore the benefits of mindfulness, and provide strategies for finding a healthy balance between work and rest.
How Productivity & Rest Interact With Each Other
Like everything else, productivity and rest also have a science that makes them mesh with each other. Without these two, our lives would crumble apart and we would find ourselves getting burnt out and not able to get anything done.
Most studies show that our brains start losing focus after 45 minutes to 1 hour of deep work. The modern work environment is therefore not suitable at all. Instead of optimizing productivity in employees, it nurtures burnout and stress in our lives. Research by the University of Illinois found that taking brief breaks throughout the day can help to improve focus and prevent mental fatigue.
Additionally, studies have shown that working long hours can have serious health consequences, with the World Health Organization linking long working hours to increased risks of heart disease, stroke, and depression.
Why do we ignore these symptoms? It’s simple – we’ve been programmed to think of long hours as equating to more hard work.
To us, it only seems rational to work harder if things aren’t going our way. However, we tend to compromise our health while doing this. If you’re someone who finds yourself embroiled in such a sad state, this is your cue.
The Practice of Mindfulness Breathes Productivity
Mindfulness is the practice of being present and fully engaged in the current moment. Let’s drill down on that definition for a brief moment:
Realistically, ‘being present’ means that we’re aware of what’s happening around us while being ‘fully engaged’ with that situation forces us to look for solutions instead of being reactionary to changes as they come.
Therefore, Mindfulness assists us in diagnosing what’s actually wrong with our lifestyle. Regular engagement, on the other hand, helps us fully assess and think of solutions. Now, let’s talk about why it’s so important for a productive lifestyle.
Mindfulness has been shown to have numerous benefits for productivity, including increased focus and concentration, reduced stress and anxiety, and improved decision-making.
A study by the University of California, Santa Barbara found that just two weeks of mindfulness training can lead to significant improvements in cognitive performance.
Further research has also shown that mindfulness can help to combat the negative effects of stress, which can have a serious impact on productivity and overall well-being.
How to get started with Mindfulness? Follow these steps to finally get started:
- Go to google and type in ‘Mindfulness Routine for Beginners’. You can even get more specific if you have limitations. Let’s say you have limited time. Well, you can use that same search query and instead ask for a 10-15 minute routine.
- Alternatively, you can go to your App Store and search ‘Mindfulness App’ there. You will be surprised how many high-quality apps there are and most of them don’t even require that much time.
Strategies for Balancing Work and Rest
Every great journey requires a strategy or a plan of action. Optimizing rest to maintain productivity is no different.
What’s good is that this isn’t even that hard to do. For starters, you need to start setting boundaries around work hours, taking regular breaks throughout the day, and incorporating mindfulness practices into daily routines (all of which we’ve discussed above).
For example, taking a short walk during lunchtime, practicing deep breathing exercises, or setting aside time for meditation can all be effective ways to incorporate rest and mindfulness into the workday.
ProductivePreneur is all about transparency and reality! And so, I’ve included my own personal routine so you can take notes.
- I work at a relatively weird time of 10 AM, do my bathroom chores, and most importantly, drink water
- Then I start working immediately and alongside that, I have breakfast. From 10:15 to 1:00 PM, I’m in deep work mode. What’s important to note is that I take 10-minute breaks after every hour.
- From 1:00 PM to 5:00 PM, I practice my musical instruments, focus on my personal growth, and take a nice short walk.
- I return to my desk at 5:00 PM and work for about 2 hours.
- After this, I do a 30-minute workout followed by a 45-minute walk
- This leads me to dinner, and post-dinner, I work a bit more on my other projects before I end my day around 2 AM.
It’s important to note that I have a pretty unique schedule and what I do may or may not work for you. So, it’s always best to take notes and adapt this to your own routine. You may have noticed that I haven’t included any guru-esque info like 4 a.m. wake-up calls, cold showers (which is effective, I admit), or listening to motivational podcasts and whatnot. For the optimal work-life balance, keep it minimal, and keep it realistic.
Conclusion:
Incorporating rest and mindfulness into daily routines can have a significant impact on productivity and overall well-being. By taking breaks throughout the workday, practicing mindfulness techniques, and creating a workspace that supports rest, professionals can maintain productivity and avoid burnout. By prioritizing rest and mindfulness, individuals can work smarter, not harder, and achieve their goals while maintaining their physical and mental health.
Zane James is a Digital Marketer who runs a freelance marketing practice alongside growing ProductivePreneur; a free newsletter for Entrepreneurs, Marketers & Designers helping them to reach peak productivity in a realistic and mindful way.