High-Performance by doing nothing - shifting the narrative
When I wrote this, I was kicking off my second week of holidays in the beautiful Tuscan hills, and a universal truth hit me once again:
Periods of rest and relaxation are key to high performance.
For athletes, this is common knowledge. Every 3-4 weeks of intense training are followed with a calmer rest-week. So for the body, this seems to be common sense. We know we can over-train and when that happens, we will not perform optimally. For the mind however, a lot of us think we're invincible and have endless strength. If we just push it a little harder when it might need a break, we assume it will be OK, that we will keep on performing at peak levels and that we can keep on going. Especially men like to put on their macho-hat and feel proud of being hard-working and continuously going at it.
And I don’t blame you. I do it too 🤷🏻♂️. We have people to impress, a career to make, a lot of willpower and discipline to showcase, and caffeine is running our bodies, so let's go!
Now hold on for a second…
The brain also needs its off-time, its rest-weeks, just like the body. In relaxation, it finds creativity. In relaxation, it works better and faster.
In other words, relaxation makes you perform better.
AND… when the dust of everyday's activities, stresses and worries settles, you also get more insight in what really excites you. It’s an amazing plus and side-benefit of rest and relaxation. Instead of constantly being absorbed by the next obligation and “to do”, stillness makes you get more in touch with yourself and with what is important for you. It's like the clouds that follow you around everywhere, covering up what you really want, finally open up and let the sun in. Already on day 1 of the holidays, I got a real strong feeling about what I want to do as a next chapter in my life.
Surprise?
Maybe all of this is no secret to you, and it definitely isn’t for the hyper-successful people in this world. Bill Gates for example took regularly solo "think weeks" in a cabin in the woods when he was running Microsoft, and a lot of other geniuses in this world look at it in the same way: Albert Einstein, Nikola Tesla and many others. Studies have also shown that mind-wandering and day-dreaming are important “activities” for our brain to consolidate and recharge.
Peace of mind
Maybe you are the person that thinks: “if I’m not squeezing everything out of my available time, I’m wasting it”! Or “if I’m not busy, I’m not productive”!
But contrary to these beliefs, rest feeds your performance. Deep down we might know it but we ignore this insight or feeling because our internal chatter says: “Go go go! Distraction, yay! Doing nothing is boring”!
But doing nothing is the most overlooked element for high-performance (and happiness)! When you start creating peace of mind by taking these moments of rest and of stillness without distraction, you will start living more fully. You'll be doing more of what is essential for you and you'll get more done with less effort and less tension.
So stop playing catch-up, get in front of your schedule and take control by prioritizing rest and focusing on what is really important. Less really is more.
How are you doing?
Check with these questions how you are doing in the rest-space:
Are you letting the never ending list of obligations usually run your schedule? Do you adjust holidays, rest days or “down-time” flexibly depending on these obligations? OR do you schedule your holidays and rest days first, make them non-negotiable, and then build your schedule around that?
Are you treating rest days as rewards for your hard work? OR are you looking at them as a prerequisite and a must for feeling and performing at your best?
Shift the narrative...
What’s it like for you? What do you prioritize?
Shift the narrative
Prioritize these moments of rest. Every now and then big ones (days, weeks or even months), and daily smaller ones (eat lunch away from your PC, pause, breathe and relax regularly 1 to 10 minutes, close your eyes for a minute, check in with yourself, take a walk, power nap, stretch, take a moment to plan your day, go into nature).
Experiment and see what happens. I believe that your brain, your energy, your creativity, your productivity and your happiness will thank you.
I moved from working 10 hours per day to 6-7 hours (most days). Now my days have clear focus. I take time to reflect and decide on what is the most important and I take enough “down-time”.
Result: overwhelm is limited and I feel sharper and more in control. I’m getting more done in less time (and usually with less tension). And I’m getting the right things done, moving forward on things that are important for me.
Remember,
busyness does not equal productivity
an oh so common misconception in a lot of companies.
Extras
If you’d like to learn more about this topic, check out these related post:
Feel fee to reach out to get clarity on what is important for you or to set up a system or find a partner in crime to move the needle towards your goals and dreams, towards what is important for you.
And here are the blog post that give more insights on the topic of relaxation, brain training, focus & attention, habits & routines and tips to create the best possible holidays:
To a life fully lived 🥂 !
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To lots of holidays in Tuscany 😉.
