It´s a common entrepeneurs´ disease to run out of energy after overdoing it. But 'rest time is not waste time. It is economy to gather fresh strength. It is wisdom to take occasional furlough. In the long run, we shall do more by sometimes doing less.' Charles Spurgeon 

The following article shows how beneficial off time is to business and life quality in the long run. 

Picture: me, doing what I like most - nothing :) 

Entrepeneurs under pressure 

In our today´s world taking a break is absolutely underestimated. What counts is that we are constantly moving, performing and delivering. 

Entrepreneurs are often celebrated for logging incountable hours. But working without off time is a very bad habit that can jeopardize business, health and the life we are supposedly working toward. 

It is very easy to fall into the trap of overdoing it, and I bet you all know what I am talking about. Capital in the early days is tight, but also because some ambitious achievers understand well one of the biggest secrets of productivity: the refueling principle. It comes down to this: 

You get more done quicker when you step back and recharge the brain and body. 

Studies show that performance increases after breaks of all durations: from small microbreaks of a few minutes to extended vacations. 

'It's not the amount of time you spend working each day. Entrepreneurs get paid through problem-solving and creativity. You can create a solution in a shorter period of time if you are rested and rejuvenated.' Dan Sullivan co-founder of Toronto-based Strategic Coach and co-author of The Laws of Lifetime Growth 

How daydreams put the world into perspective: our brain´s 'diffuse mode'

Our brains work in two modes: on one hand there is the focused mode that is used when we are doing things like learning something new, writing or working. On the other hand there is the diffuse mode that is our more relaxed, daydreamy mode when we are not thinking hardly. The diffuse mode plays a bigger role when it comes to productivity than we might think. Researchers found out that while we are daydreaming the activity in many brain regions increases. 

Studies have also shown that the mind solves its stickiest problems while daydreaming.

We all have experienced situations like these: while driving, taking a shower or lying at the beach we have a breakthrough that seem to come out of nowhere. 

These flashs of inspiration are often the product of diffuse mode actions. That happens because the relaxation associated with daydream mode can allow our brain to hook up and return valuable insights.

And suddenly all these negative thoughts were put into perspective... 

We all know that. Sometimes we just need to do one step back, calm down, stop overthinking, contemplate things from a different angle and the supposed problems we had before become less serious.  

The brain is a muscle - don´t pull it 

Most of us would not think twice about taking a breather after a session of surfing, basketball or tennis. 

But mental fatigue is another story. The brain is commonly seen as an ethereal realm that exists apart from the body and the regular laws of physiology. 

Since almost all of us are doing mental work these days (even when you are reading this article right now :)), managing cognitive resources is not a nice thing to be able to do - it is absolutely essential. 

The brain is like a muscle. You can strengthen it or deplete it as any other muscle in your body. So if you let it recharge and replenish, you will feel much better mentally and see improvements in your overall performance.

Lack of time is not a valid excuse, folks!

Recovery opportunities range from breaks during the workday to diversions that shut off our thinking mind when we get home at night, to weekend activities, sports, sex, vacations and sleep. 

There are plenty of opportunities - so time is not an excuse. Sorry! 

During the week lunch  is a big opportunity for restoring energy, for instance. Working while eating doesn't aid any recovery, so don´t do that! Switch off your mobile phone, enjoy the meal and start daydreaming a bit. 

According to a study led by John Trougakos at the University of  Toronto: People who engage in respite activities during workday recovery timeouts have higher levels of positive affect (observable expression of emotion) after their breaks.

The underestimated value of being offline 

Picture: me (being unplugged) discovering the Maldives´ underwater world 

Burning up our mental resources without replacing them leads automatically to stress, burnout and bad performance. Stress constricts the brain to a narrow focus - a perceived threat - making it quite hard to concentrate on anything  else, plan or make decisions of high quality. 

That´s why we sometimes should unplug ourselves! My favourite unplug mode: head under water! :)

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Rest time is not waste time. Our brain has limited cognitive ressources and needs a break from time to time. Turning on our 'diffuse mode' and daydreaming a bit helps us to put things into the right perspective. A lot of times the best breakthrough, flash of inspiration or idea comes up to our mind when we are actually not in a working mode. Plus: we get paid through problem-solving and creativity, not the overtime hours logged. I have suffered a burnout a few years ago and was unable to work during some months. So trust me, it´s not worth it...

But PLEASE don´t unplug yourself before upvoting my article :-D

Marly -

Picture sources:
Relaxing surfer: http://68.media.tumblr.com/
Most stuff quote: http://s6.favim.com/
Sportsman: https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/
Unplug mode quote: https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/