Relax!

Take a breather to take on the world.

Recently, I went on a weeklong camping trip in the wilderness of New England with my family. We had sporadic cell service, and even had to pull over and break out an ATLAS to find our way around. It was a nice escape from being available 24/7. It is no secret that taking time off can make you more productive. There is scientific evidence to prove it!

The more we try to keep up, the more trapped we become in the proverbial hamster wheel. The notion of accomplishing more by doing less seems absurd. A new and growing body of research across multiple disciplines shows that planned breaks – including daytime exercise, naps, longer sleep hours and more time away from the office can re-energize you; boosting productivity, creativity and job performance. I guess the boss was right all along in making us eat lunch away from our desks and encouraging walks outside on nice days.

In many work environments, downtime is considered wasted time. We rely on time to get things accomplished, but there is only a finite amount. We can’t make more hours in the day, but we can increase our energy. Energy also has a limit but, unlike time, it is renewable. Humans are not designed to burn continuous energy. We need periods of recovery to function. Our bodies are great at telling us when we need to recharge, but warning signs are often hidden by caffeine, sugar and stress hormones (adrenaline, noradrenaline and cortisol; respectively).

Working in 90-minute intervals with short breaks in between is a step in the right direction. Go outside: nature is more affordable than therapy. So is spending time doing things that matter. Taking the time for self-renewal can help you to be excellent at anything.

The Glass is Half...

The edge that successful people have over others is their thought process. There are two types of people in the world: optimist and pessimists. Of course there is some overlapping at times. You could be the most optimistic person in the world and still have negative thoughts from time to time. It's human nature.

But here is the real difference. Pessimists tend to think that the negative situation that they are facing will last forever and is completely their fault. They throw their hands up and give in to defeat. Optimists see the same situation as a temporary setback. They know that external circumstances such as choices from others or bad timing can often affect us. Most importantly, they know and accept that this may not be their fault and move on. They believe their way through it.

Think back to a time where you allowed fear to make a decision for you. Is it a personality trait that holds you back? Maybe you procrastinate. Are you terrified of public speaking? The poison behind these things are not the traits themselves, but the mindset you have. "I've always done things at the last minute so I always will."

Here's the key: Shift your mindset! If you believe that you will always procrastinate, then you will. But if you slowly start incorporating things into your life that help you avoid procrastination, you will eventually kick the habit! What if instead of "there's no way I can do that," you said "I know I have potential in this." Set yourself up for success!

Optimistic people tend to live longer, are less likely to have depression and are most likely to be more successful in business and in life. A little self pep talk can go a long way!

(Photo courtesy of Julia Balfour, LLC)