Breaks For Champions
Thank to David Russell from
www.managetowin.com
In my book,
Success With People, I recommend taking regular
Sanctuary breaks during your workday because studies have
proven this makes you more productive (and healthy). Here
are four quick examples:
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1. |
When
SAS Institute was only #20 in the ranks of the 100
Best Companies To Work For (August
17, 2009 issue of FORTUNE Magazine) they were
still very popular. (In 2010 they become #1 on the
list.) SAS employee Mary Simmons, principal software
developer, shared one reason she works there: "At
lunch I will go out and bike 20 miles. Then I'll get
back and all of a sudden a thought comes to my
brain, and I solve something I was struggling with.
(Jim) Goodnight (the founder and CEO) understands
the innovative process, and there's time built in
for it."
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2. |
When I
am stressed out one of the best things I can do is
swim laps. Because I count the laps and do different
strokes, my brain cannot focus on work anymore. This
clears my mind, removes my stress and occasionally,
opens my mind to a new inspiration.
NOTE: I do
pray daily and often do small prayers throughout the
day, however, except in rare situations, prayer
alone does not clear my stress. I wish it would. I'm
confident this is a flaw with me, not the practice
of prayer.
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3. |
Jack LaLanne, who was exercising on television
when I was a kid and is now still going strong at 95
years old briefly shared his secrets for long life
and business success in
INC. Magazine (Dec.'09-Jan.'10). Let me share
two of his thoughts: "In 1936, when I opened my
first gym in Oakland, I had doctors telling people,
"If you start working out with Jack LaLanne, the
women will start looking like men, and the old guys
will die of heart attacks." They thought I was just
a dumb, musclebound guy. Now every doctor wants you
to exercise and eat more fruits and vegetables."
I
recommend light exercise and a healthy snack. Now
what does Jack have to say about food? "There is no
wealth like health. The food you eat today makes you
what you'll be tomorrow. So if man makes it, don't
eat it. And if it tastes good, spit it out."
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4. |
This
just announced today in the Harvard Business Review:
The grades of college students who do 20 minutes of
vigorous exercise daily are an average of 0.4 points
higher on the 0-to-4 grade-point scale than those of
students who don't exercise, according to a study
led by Joshua Ode of Saginaw Valley State
University. If it works for college students,
exercise works for the rest of us too! |
TAKE YOUR
BREAKS! You deserve them. Then return to work with greater
focus and energy. Try one or more of the ideas below to
schedule time in your day for a sanctuary moment!
Be an
intentional leader.
Meeting Ideas
BREAKS FOR CHAMPIONS is a reminder to take care of
yourself and in the process, improve your ability to perform
like a champion. Ideally you should take a morning and
afternoon break of 10-20 minutes after about two hours of
work.
Here are some
ideas to test:
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1. |
If you
work at home, take breaks in the morning and
afternoon. Wear a wide-brimmed hat. Do some weeding.
Work in the vegetable garden. Water some trees,
plants or flowers. Take your dog for a short walk.
Make yourself a fruit smoothie (low calorie, high
energy).
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2. |
If you
work in an office, take the same breaks. Go for a
walk. Stretch (this could be HUGE for you). If you
walk with a friend then make certain to be back at
your desk on time.
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3. |
At
home or at a corporate office . . . You can
wait until lunch and then do something longer and
more intense. Pray. Meditate. Leave behind your
iPhone/PDA, pager, cell phone so your Sanctuary can
be uninterrupted. |
THE MAIN
OBJECTIVE: Remove yourself totally from your work so you can
return refreshed, re-energized and refocused.
David Russell
can be reached at
david@managetowin.com |
