From my experience coaching clients with time management issues, I have found that the majority of people are suffering at one extreme or the other i.e. they are either doing little or nothing or, they are trying to do far too much and in the end they achieve very little because their attention is too divided. If you are doing too much and working too many hours then, you are not taking time to relax. It may seem counterintuitive but if you take time to relax, you will produce a greater quantity of work, to a much higher standard.

Why you need to take time to relax

Sometimes the most productive and efficient thing to do is to do nothing at all. I know it sounds strange but think of it this way; to be productive you need to use 2 things properly – your time and your energy. We can all accept that there is a limit to how much time we have in a day but we forget that we have limited reserves of energy too. If you are low on energy, it doesn’t matter how much time you have, you are going to struggle to complete your most important tasks. This is due to the fact that your most important tasks require high levels of concentration, focus and thinking skills; all of which drain your energy reserves.

You can only keep dipping into your energy reserves for so long before you are running on empty. If you try running on empty, it is like banging your head against a wall. Every time you come up against and obstacle, problem or some resistance; you struggle to find a way to push through. Amazingly, if you take a break to get your energy back, you will return to your work and quickly find the way forward. Taking a few minutes in these situations can actually save you a few hours.

An even more important reason to take time to relax is for the sake of your health. There is only so much pressure that your body and mind can cope with before they give in and stress begins. There is no such thing as good stress. Stress puts strain on your body, mind and immune system. Have you ever noticed how someone can go through a long period of working really long hours but as soon as they stop, they get sick? In extreme cases, your body doesn’t wait for you to stop; it forces you to stop due to illness.  The sad thing is that you can prevent the buildup of stress by taking time to relax on a regular basis. This will mean that your energy levels are restored before they hit rock bottom; allowing you to concentrate, focus and think better and perform to a higher standard.

How you can take time to relax

You can take time to relax regularly throughout the day and the week. You don’t need to take long breaks each time but if you do take regular periods of relaxation, you will reap the rewards of higher performance levels. The following are just some quick suggestions:

1. Sleep

Make sure that you are getting a full night’s sleep each night and ensure that your sleeping environment is set up to encourage a quality sleep e.g. comfortable pillows and mattress; a dark room etc.

I have done a great deal of reading into sleep lately as I have had to adjust my sleep to ensure I was completing as much valuable work as I could out each day while still maintaining the energy I require for my personal life. I have come to believe that when you are attempting to improve your productivity, sleep is the very first thing you should look at. Yes, if you want to be more productive, you must first take time to relax thoroughly. After all, you can develop the very best plans and processes but if you haven’t the energy to take the necessary action, it is all pointless. Proper sleep is the first step in developing that energy.

2. Nap

Even as he was the leader of his country during World War II, former UK prime minister, Winston Churchill, insisted on taking a nap during the middle of the day. He understood that taking time to relax would allow him to think clearly and perform his incredibly difficult duties to a higher standard.

As little as 25 minutes napping during the day will really boost your energy levels for the rest of the day. If Winston Churchill could find time while fighting a World War, I would love to hear your excuse for not being able to take time to relax.

There are two natural periods during the day where your body naturally wants to take time to relax. These are approx. 1-3 pm and 5-7 pm. If you can shut your eyes and block out work, technology, and people for even 30 minutes during this period, you will feel the benefits. You don’t have to sleep; good rest is more than enough.

3. Take regular breaks

Regular short breaks throughout the day will help to give you little boosts of energy and allow you return to your work re-energised. This will lead to greater productivity.

It can be as simple as a five-minute break every hour and a 15-minute break every 2 hours. Also, don’t skip your lunch break. Take at least a half hour for this.

As strange as it may sound, taking time out of your day to relax will actually put more quality time into your day.

The key is to take the time to relax as soon as you notice your energy levels flagging. This will allow you to fill your energy levels back up. Short bursts of work followed by brief rest will allow you to get a lot done without feeling like you are forcing yourself to work.

4. Active relaxation

I know you cannot keep stopping work all day but you can get some active relaxation just by managing your energy flows. Your energy ebbs and flows naturally throughout the day. You will have periods of high energy followed by periods of low energy. This helps you to recover after difficult tasks.

You can make use of these energy flows to maximise your energy reserves just by scheduling your most important and difficult tasks for the periods of high energy and the easiest most mundane tasks for the periods where your energy levels have dropped. This way your energy levels will recover during the times you are doing your easiest work because you are not placing any significant pressure on your body or mind.

Conclusion

This is a busy and hectic world with too little rest, too little quiet time, and too little sleep. It is very tempting to try to push yourself through when you are struggling for energy but doing so is very destructive. When your energy levels are low, you can’t concentrate and even simple tasks take you longer. If this is happening, you need to stop and take time to relax. To reduce the likelihood of this happening, you need to ensure that you take time to relax on a regular basis by making it part of your schedule. Not only will this make you more productive and efficient at work and at home, it also affects your productivity and well-being in all other areas of your life. Taking time to relax is crucial to staying productive the rest of the time.