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How to Be Productive by Being Unproductive. If You’re Reading This Your Gut Is Right, You Probably Need A Break. Here’s the Science to Support Your Taking A Vacation and What It Will Do For You.

Apr 16, 2024 | How to Be More Productive, Productivity

How to Be Productive by Being Unproductive. If You’re Reading This Your Gut Is Right, You Probably Need A Break. Here’s the Science to Support Your Taking A Vacation and What It Will Do For You.

Productivity is often considered a positive state and research shows there are many things you can do to get in that state and many frameworks to apply. We cover them in this show all the time.

But you can actually get burned out by chasing that productive state. A situation where you’re constantly chasing the perfect productive state. And what can happen is when you’re not “being productive” you start to feel guilt and shame that you’re not making progress. 

You need times of “unproductivity” to boosting your overall productivity and there’s plenty of science to back this up….

One of the largest, most comprehensive studies done is titled “Benefits of vacations from work: A comprehensive review and synthesis of research” This meta-analysis reviewed 65 studies on the effects of vacations and found that taking time off from work:

  • Reduces stress and anxiety: Vacationers reported lower levels of stress hormones like cortisol and decreased anxiety symptoms upon returning to work.

  • Improvements in mood and well-being: Taking breaks led to increased job satisfaction, happiness, and overall life satisfaction.

  • Boosts cognitive function: Vacations were associated with improved memory, attention, and creativity upon returning to work.Who couldn’t use this right?!

  • It Enhances work performance: Studies showed increased productivity and better work quality after employees took vacations.

Another study titled “Taking a break: Exploring the restorative benefits of short breaks and vacations”.

There are just two of many that show, taking an afternoon off, a day off or even a week vacation with the intent of being unproductive will boost your productivity. Do an audit and see how much time you’ve taken off in the last 12 months. Should you take more to re-entergize in the coming 12 months?

Your move.

If you liked this post you’ll ❤️ the…PRODUCTIVITY Podcast I host where you get a daily dose of productivity in LESS than 4 minutes a day.