I’m returning from a week on Isla Mujeres, a small jewel of an island that Bernadine and I have visited regularly for over 20 years. So how do I feel after immersing myself in the ‘island state of mind?’ The same as I do after each trip: refreshed, refocused, recharged and ready to go.
The fundamental rhythm of life is binary: exertion and recovery, waking and sleep, exercise and rest. Respecting this rhythm keeps us strong.
When leaders discourage downtime, they unwittingly compromise productivity. And even if they don’t explicitly discourage it, employees may be anxious about how they’ll be judged when they do take time off.
How can you encourage your people to take downtime? 1) Be seen to take downtime. 2) Communicate the value of and your support for downtime. 3) Mandate downtime for that dedicated employee who is worn down but won’t take time off.
Enjoy your downtime!
Your thoughts?
Michael
