I think we’ve all heard to phrase, “work hard, play hard” or “work hard, play harder.” There was an article recently in Inc Magazine titled, “The Secrets of the Most Productive People.” The three secrets or traits of highly productive people are:
- They take breaks. It’s easy to think you will get more done if you never stop. But what’s clear from neuroscience is that we can easily get resource depleted and quickly get stuck. Taking a break refreshes your mind, allowing you to see new solutions.
- They are great collaborators. Highly productive people tend to have wide networks. They get more done by bouncing ideas off colleagues, clients, and other contacts.
- They have lives outside of work. Far from being maniacally focused, highly productive people have rich private lives. Interests outside of work hone different skills and let you think in different ways.
Many companies host happy hours, but I’m confident there are more effective ways to promote a healthy work/life balance and build cohesive teams. I was recently speaking with some professionals in my industry that shared a remarkable example of how their organization promotes a healthy work/life balance. This company has four cabins, each of which are available for their employees to use. The cabins are located in perfect vacation spots like Carmel, Big Bear and Tahoe. This benefit:
- promotes a healthy balance of work and life
- provides an opportunity for outdoor recreation
- promotes team-building
- shows employees they are valued
If you have examples of how your organization promotes a healthy work/life balance, please share it with me at juliehyson@gmail.com.
