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Productivity meets you at the intersection of Rest and Resilience.
For far too long we have been leaning on Resilience to carry us through. "When the going gets tough---the tough get going", right? Yes AND what happens when the tough just keep going. That push is a level of catabolic energy that is finite, not restorative.
Living in my world of corporate leadership there were highs and lows-as there are everywhere. But what I saw, experienced and partook was in fueling that push to meet the metrics, love on your team, be the "yes" person and win a relationship, a customer, a closing there were often many coffees, boba teas and fast lunches (if you took a break at all) as well as the realization on the days when 2 or 4 of us would purposefully take a lunch that the connection we made in that space away from our desks supported us in a way that a quick hello in the breakroom (or bathroom) didn't.
It was the alchemy of rest at work.
Driving to another location often provided another form of fuel. With just the road and traffic to watch (often slowly going with more time on the brake pedal than the gas) there was a mindfulness opportunity. In the mornings when I was fresh I would often take a call or two to settle anything urgent or understand the big needs of the day, then sink into a juicy podcast. My jam was anything self-improvement or leadership related. The more the better-either supporting shifts I wanted to make in how I showed up or served my team OR validating work I was already doing--either in the office during the day or at night with my coaching clientele. The way home was a time to release the day and reset to be "on" as mama or coach depending on the evening, with the music turned up high.
I both loved and loathed that time in the car. Time away from work that I could be doing. Time driving with crazy people on the road and trying not to become one myself. But also time of solitude-which as a parent with young kids you get so little of. Time to enjoy my tea and the look at the sunrise or sunset. The fog lifting over the bay. My time of rest.
Rest so that I could rise to meet the needs of as many people as possible. Or remain calm when I reached a moment of pushback or said a qualified "no" (not today, not right now, we can't because--however that no surfaced) and was met with frustration and sometimes anger. Rest so that I could bounce back from those moments to focus on what was most needed that day. Rest so I could continue to prioritize what I felt was important for myself and my team WHILE still meeting KPIs or other measurements.
Did it always work-NOPE. Sometimes better than others, but the key incorporating rest, like anything else…is a practice. Some days it works. Some days it isn't helpful. Some days you get an hour to "chillax" others you are lucky to grab 2 minutes alone to breath in the bathroom while someone is knocking on the door.
I'd love to say that rest was easy to bring into my life. Even now-as I work for myself and set my own schedule, it is a challenge to work into the day, fighting with the "shoulds" and "have tos" that make things work. I settle in and look forward at what will bring me the most action-complete those tasks and measure my need for a break. I commit to walking because that seems to bring me peace, energy and release the old while popping open my creative lid. It's not perfect, but it is a start. I'm betting on myself and I am betting on you too.
Find your rest. Add it in 2 minute increments if that is all you can find. Once you do that see how you can add another minute and another-play with it. Aim for 3 10 minute rest breaks a day. It doesn't have to be walking. Maybe it's a quiet cup of coffee in one stretch, a journaling moment in another and dancing it out in the third. Find those things that light you up an do them. Daily. Don't wait. All we have is today.
