How often have you felt burned out, but pushed yourself through the day? Many of us are fuelled by coffee and determination, perhaps because leadership trainers somewhere along the way glorified multitasking and overwork.
We discussed this in a previous blog how contemporary culture fixates on being busy. There is a difference, however, between being BUSY and being PRODUCTIVE.
Someone can be very busy – keeping a hectic pace for a full day and into overtime – and yet accomplish very little. Conversely, someone who is very focused can work a few hours and be extremely productive.
It’s critical that we as leaders stop falsely equating being busy with being productive.
Being too busy for an extended period of time also burns people out – and often makes them resentful if they feel they’ve sacrificed aspects of their personal life (or even having a personal life) for their employer.
(Pro tip: Here’s how to recognize signs of overwork in your organization, why it matters and what to do about it.)
Brain Slumps are Real
The New York Times recently published an article about how to tell if your brain needs a break. Brain slumps are real, according to the professor of informatics they interviewed.
“We can’t expect to lift weights nonstop all day, and we can’t expect to use sustained focus and attention for extended periods of time either,” Dr. Gloria Mark of the University of California, Irvine, told The New York Times.
The best way to regain focus and much more? According to Dr. Mark, the author of Attention Span: A Groundbreaking Way to Restore Balance, Happiness and Productivity, it’s to take a break.
According to this BBC article, a 2014 study by the Draugiem Group proved that regular breaks are tied to good performance. They wanted to figure out what made the most productive employees at their social networking company different from their peers and the answer was rest.
They didn’t work longer hours – and in fact didn’t even usually work eight hours a day. What they did differently was that for every 52 minutes of focused work, they took a 17-minute break.
The Conditioning of Corporate Culture
The problem in our culture is that we’re conditioned to be busy. Many leadership trainers and executive leadership coaches observe that corporate culture in many organizations has leaders, managers and even team members convinced that they can’t stop to take a break because there’s too much to do – or that they’ll be perceived poorly as slackers.
Think about your corporate culture. How many people take two breaks and a lunch away from their desk every day? (Note, that’s barely the old-school standard and nowhere near 17 minutes for every 52 – and yet that, too, has disappeared in many organizations.) What do you think your boss would say if you left for a short walk when a project deadline is looming? If you saw a team member stretching and having a snack in the early afternoon, what would you think?
It’s critical that we change the way we think about breaks. As leaders, we need to model taking breaks and encourage our team members to do the same. Working 24/7 is counterproductive, and the focus should be on quality of work rather than quantity.What the Science Says
Scientific research shows that prioritizing a short break can:
- Reduce mental fatigue and brain fog
- Increase energy and focus
- Improve the quality of work, particularly if it requires creativity – either innovation or problem-solving – rather than doing routine task-related things
It may seem counter-intuitive when you feel overwhelmed by work, but it’s worth trying to take regular breaks.
How long you take might vary depending on what you’re doing and how you’re feeling. There could be days that a 10-minute walk around the block clears your head and helps you focus while other days you might need longer.
Consider what constitutes an effective brain break:
- Brief physical activity is very valuable. A walk or a few stretches is a (scientifically proven!) great way to boost your energy and enhance your creative thinking. Taking a break from your laptop to scroll social media on your cell phone will not give your brain much of a break.
- A short nap of 10-15 minutes is restorative for many folks. Some leaders will simply close their eyes at their desks while others will head to their vehicle to take a quick catnap.
- Enjoy a healthy snack that isn’t too high in carbs or sugar. Consider a handful of nuts or some vegetables with dip. Aim for enough brain food to give your body sustainable energy without a sugar crash that makes you feel more tired.
When you return to your work, try some of our tips for how to stay focused in an office full of distractions. A few of our favourites include:
- Minimizing distractions.Turn off notifications on your cell phone and put it in a drawer, close all tabs on your Internet browser except the ones related to your work and shut the door so people don’t walk in on you.
- Figuring out your top priorities. Determine what is urgent versus what is important so that you tackle your work well. Too often, folks live in a state of urgency.
- Setting clear and achievable goals. It’s easier to stay on track when there are clear and achievable goals for us, our teams and the business. (Pro tip: Check out our ultimate goal setting worksheet and how to set performance goals for your team.)
As leadership trainers, one of the most important things we can do is stay focused on what is really important.
Figuring that out might be challenging, especially for new leaders. Peer learning can help to strengthen your leadership skills and build your confidence as a leader. It’s very helpful to have a network outside of your workplace for support.
Coach’s Questions:
How have you approached managing a big workload in the past? How has your perception of taking breaks changed? What steps can you take to give your brain regular breaks? How can you encourage your team members to do the same?
