In this 5:40 podcast, I talk about the paradox of rest leading to increased productivity. If you’re reading this in an email, click through to the website to hear the podcast. Here’s a glimpse of what we’ll cover:
It seems like a contradiction. A paradox.
It seems impossible that more rest would result in greater productivity, but so we’re being told by study after study.
Regular rest and renewal gives us the focus and energy we need to get our work done more efficiently and effectively.
… One answer is the formula for the perfect balance of rest and productivity. A 2014 Atlantic article by Derek Thompson says the numbers are precise: Work for 52 minutes, break for 17.
… I doubt there’s a perfect number for everyone—there may not even be a perfect number for you yourself. I mean, you could try a Pomodoro 25/5 cycle, Pomodoro Plus at 52/17, and then attempt a 90-minute chunk followed by a break, just to see. But in the end, as my friend Jenne Fromm would say, it’s about managing our energy more than it is our time, because that’s how we get our work done—with energy. Whether we’re talking about mental, psychological, or physical energy, low energy results in less work, or lower-quality work.
Listen for the full presentation.
Resources mentioned in the podcast:
- Why Summer Vacations and the Internet Make You More Productive
- A Formula For Perfect Productivity: Work for 52 Minutes, Break for 17
- The Exact Amount of Time You Should Work Every Day
- Relax! You’ll Be More Productive
- Manage Energy, Not Time
- Pomodoro Technique
- Pomodoro Countdown Timer
- Pomodoro Countdown App
- 5217 Pomodoro Plus App
- Rest – A Gift from the Sea
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