I have a confession to make: I’m not a good relaxer. But I do realize the benefit of relaxing and disconnecting and I work at finding time to recharge. Whether it’s pizza night at home with Mr. Bartender or my new Jigsaw Puzzle app addiction, it’s important to find a little time away from work.
Women’s Health magazine recently published an article about the inability to relax and its impact on our health. You can check out the article here (PDF). Some labeled it being a workaholic. Others said it was their “normal speed”. The article shared some very interesting statistics:
- 91% of Millennials blow off the concept of relaxation
- Women spend less time on relaxation than men
After reading the article, I was reminded of a conversation I had with an HR pro at a recent conference. We were talking about the event and people using social media during conferences. She said that she was reluctant to fully engage in social media because the people she saw using it were “on” 24/7. She said that work was work and she didn’t want the obligation to be “on” outside of work hours.
I believe the decision to blend your personal and professional life is a little bit different than always being “on”. It’s possible to have a blended life and still carve out time to relax and recharge. Technology is a wonderful tool but we have to control our technology and not let it control us.
The important thing is to identify how you will build relaxation into your life. One example that I love is called “Hula Day”. Mary Ellen Slayter is the managing director for Reputation Capital Media Services based in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. She’s a business owner and writer but her most important job is Mom. She and her daughter have scheduled “Hula Days” where they do fun things together. It’s called Hula Day to represent the beauty and spirit of the ancient dance. That’s one of the ways she finds time away from the stress of work.
As more employees work from home and on the road, it will be critical to give employees time to decompress. If we don’t, it could lead to more serious issues including complete career burnout. But it means 1) we have to set good examples ourselves and 2) we have to teach employees how to take breaks.
How do you relax? Share your tips in the comments.
2
Katie says
I agree with your comment that making the decision to blend your personal and professional life is different than always being “on”. As long as you’re able to set dedicated time aside to relax and do things you enjoy that are non-work related and really take a well-deserved break, you’re set. Keeping in mind the quote above that technology can indeed control us if we let it.
Sharlyn Lauby says
Very true. I think the hard part is understanding what those “well-deserved breaks” look like. Thanks for the comment.
RMSmithJr.SPHR says
Good advice for a rainy Sunday while I avoid the SHRM Tote Bag filled with work brought home-Insurance renewal analysis-safety program re-prioritzation, & company meeting photography for post processing.
Justin Locke says
It’s also important to remember that the biggest creative breakthru’s usually happen in and around rest breaks, sleep, and down time generally. “Always being on” is a state of emulating a machine, and all too often we think in those industrial terms about people. Trying to emulate or match the power of the machines around us, but it shows a lack of appreciation for the imperfections and inconsistencies that make us human. Also, not to be overly religious, but taking breaks is in the 10 commandments, so clearly the need to tell people to take breaks is not a purely modern phenomenon.
Sharlyn Lauby says
@RMSmith – Thanks for sharing. I must admit there were times when I intentionally brought work home. I could process it so much faster in the evening – without phones ringing and distractions.
@Justin – Totally agree. I used to get some of my ideas at happy hour (after work). I was famous for jotting ideas on bar napkins and bringing them back to the office. Kinda funny to walk into the human resources director’s office and see a bunch of bar napkins on the desk.
Leo Daley says
I just blogged about this phenomena today, within the context of that mostly false story out of France. My point was that being connected helps me maintain a good work-life balance. For example, while on a vacation day driving down the East coast last week, I banged out a blog while sitting in a rural SC diner. Other times, I may check email before seeing my granddaughter perform at school. Sometimes we just have to do what we have to do.
Sharlyn Lauby says
Thanks for the comment Leo. I think you’ve nailed the secret – it’s knowing when to step away. Whether it’s catching a few moments of quiet time on vacation or waiting for an appointment, people have to figure out how to manage technology.
Cindy Goodman says
It’s so hard these day to NOT feel guilty about relaxing. Even when we watch television, there’s a hashtag on our screen, urging us to tweet while we watch. No wonder our society is stressed out and anxious!
Fortunately, I think some of us are turning to exercise for relaxation. Personally, I enjoy running. I hope everyone can find something that relaxes them.
Sharlyn Lauby says
You bring up a good point about TV (a source of relaxation for some) now being filled with suggestions to live tweet during the program. Thanks for the comment Cindy.