Every day, we live with many different roles and responsibilities.
Some of us are expected to deliver results at work, some lead teams and some support their families.
The more someone is used to always working hard, the more they may find it difficult to “rest.”
“I can still keep going.”
“I still have things to do.”
“This is no time to rest.”
With thoughts like these, it is not unusual to keep running without noticing your own fatigue.
But to keep performing at a high level, recovering is just as important as working hard.
The best athletes prioritize recovery
In the world of sports, the very best athletes place great importance on rest and recovery.
Simply increasing the amount of training does not, on its own, improve athletic ability.
Only with time to recover through enough sleep, good nutrition and care for the body can athletes perform at their true level in the next training session or competition.
These days, it is not unusual for teams to have specialist staff who support players’ sleep and conditioning.
That is how essential “recovery” is considered to be for improving performance.
Isn’t the same true in business and everyday life?
People who consistently deliver results make a conscious effort to set aside time for rest and recovery.
Today, our brains are more tired than our bodies
We live in an age overflowing with information.
Smartphones, social media, email, chat, videos, news: our brains are constantly processing a huge amount of information.
The brain is said to make up only about 2% of body weight, yet it consumes about 20% of the body’s total energy.
Not only at work, but also while commuting and at home, the brain keeps working with no time to rest.
As a result, you may find that:
• You can’t stay focused
• Your fatigue doesn’t go away
• Your thoughts won’t stop racing
• Your sleep is shallow
• You still feel tired even on your days off
and so on.
You think your body is resting, but your brain isn’t.
Surprisingly many people may be in exactly this state.
How does a tired mind change performance?
The brain is responsible for judgment, focus, creativity, emotional control and more.
So when the brain is fatigued, it can lead to:
• Trouble staying focused
• More mistakes
• Becoming irritable more easily
• Taking longer to make decisions
• A lack of motivation
and so on.
People who want to deliver results at work tend to think “I need to try harder,” but in reality, there are many cases where recovery is needed before more effort.
To use a car as an analogy, you can’t keep moving forward just by pressing the accelerator.
It needs regular maintenance and refueling.
The same goes for the human body and brain.
To keep performing at a high level, it is important to consciously set aside time to recover.
“Time to do nothing” can boost productivity
People today spend most of their waking hours exposed to information.
Work messages, social media, videos, news.
It is not unusual to be looking at a smartphone even while on the move.
But the brain grows tired from constantly processing information.
That is exactly why we sometimes need time to do nothing.
Time to zone out.
Time to take a deep breath.
Time to let go of your worries.
At first glance, this may seem inefficient.
But it is precisely because of this time that the brain gets organized and can more easily bring focus and creativity to bear again.
In fact, guests who visit La HEAD have told us things like:
“For the first time in a long while, I could spend time without thinking about anything.”
“My head feels clearer.”
“Not only my body but my mood feels lighter too.”
We are grateful to hear comments like these.
To keep going strong
Work, time with family, hobbies.
All of these are best enjoyed when you are in good condition.
Working hard is important.
But to keep working hard, recovering is just as important.
Precisely because life is busy, why not pause now and then and make time to rest your mind?
It may be just what fuels your performance tomorrow.