KICKER [Style the same as Steal An Idea on page A21]: TIP SHEET
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HED: A breakdown on breaks
$65.6 billion
Value of the paid vacation U.S. employees carried over from 2014 to 2015, an average of 3.3 days and $748 per employee
$224 billion
Estimated amount of unused vacation time on the books of U.S. firms
SOURCE: Project Time Off
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GIVE YOUR BRAIN A REST
The brain is an energy machine, consuming 20% of the body’s calories, even though it’s only 2% of total body mass. Energy that gets expended must be resupplied. Just like the heart, the brain gets fatigued from too much time on-task. Studies indicate mental fatigue takes hold after three hours of continuous time on-task; other scientists say brains need a break after 90 minutes, the length of the “basic rest-activity cycle.” Burning up mental resources without replacing them leads to stress, burnout and poor performance.
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GOAL REACTIVATION
When you work on a task continuously, it’s easy to lose focus and get lost in the weeds. In contrast, following a short break, picking up where you left off forces you to take a few seconds to think globally about what you’re ultimately trying to achieve. It’s a practice that encourages us to stay mindful of our objectives and reliably contributes to better performance.
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SCHEDULE IT
Try blocking out a couple of planned 15-minute breaks on your calendar: one in the mid-morning and the other in the mid-afternoon. Find something active you can do with this time and put it on your calendar. Take a walk, stretch while listening to a song, or go out with a coworker for a snack. Step away from your computer so that your focus is relaxed and your mind drifts. Checking Facebook doesn’t count.
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CUT THE CORD
Constantly checking email after you leave the office? How about when you’re on vacation? Letting work interrupt your personal time isn’t good for your mental health or your personal relationships. Take time to separate from the office and relax. After all, is the email really that important?
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GET AWAY.
It’s a fact: People who take vacations have lower stress, less risk of heart disease, a better outlook on life, and more motivation to achieve goals. In fact, vacations have been shown to lead to significantly higher performance upon return to the job. It doesn’t have to be two weeks in Europe, either. Just 24 hours away and you’ll reap the benefits. Even better, the biggest boost in happiness comes from planning the vacation. You can feel the effects up to eight weeks before your trip. And when you’re done with that retreat, start planning the next one. Simply having something to look forward to can be rewarding.
SOURCES: WebMD, Cognition, Harvard Business Review
