In fact, wedrasticallyunderestimate how much we need breaks.
This post originally appeared on theCrew blog.
I left town for a week.
I didn’t just go to another city.
I went to one of the most remote areas of the Southwest.
I went where there’s no internet, no cell service… nothing.
But let me back up for a second.
Unfortunately, that’s a personality trait that doesn’t typically lend itself to balance.
And that’s all useful for daily work and life.
But I discovered something life-changing by taking that week offline:wedrasticallyunderestimate how much we need breaks.Real breaks.
Before leaving town I was struggling with a big work-related decision.
I was plagued with indecision and the stress was building.
I was wearing thin; I even got sick.
The last thing I was thinking about was how refreshed I’d feel when I got back.
Fast-forward a week and the decision was suddenly a no brainer.
Not only that, but new ideas flowed like they hadn’t in months.
I felt excited, powerful, creative and confident.
My edge was back.
But don’t take my word for any of this.
Think about that for a second.
If you work out the same muscle group every day, you won’t continue to build that muscle.
Without rest, it can’t rebuild itself.
Rest is just as (if not more) important for building strength as exercising the muscle is.
Our brain is no different.
Additionally, we take for granted how much energy our brain actually consumes.
Ever notice it’s hard to concentrate when you’re tired?
There’s a good reason for that.
Another set of experimentssuggest that the brain never really takes a break.
Basically, we’re inundated with work all… the… time.
Even when we’re not working, we’re thinking about it.
You still think about it.
Again, the problem remains (like the muscle we discussed),the brain needs rest.
Not just a good nights sleep.
Not a few minutes of mediation each day or a fun activity.
A real, prolonged break.
We’re Over-Stimulated
I’m certainly not going to make a case that technology is bad.
I’ve built my career in tech!
I’m getting your attention right now.
But I’ve got a piece of your attention.
You’ve given it to me, whether or not you consciously realize you’ve chosen to.
Face itwhether you like it or not, you’re overstimulated.
The idea that technology has taken over every part of our lives isn’t a cynical theory.
The New York Times has devotedan entire series of articlesto studying the effects of technology on our brains.
When we are relaxing or daydreaming, the brain does not really slow down or stop working.
This is also why sleep is so important, but it doesn’t end there.
We need to get over our predisposed inclination to consider rest a “waste of time.”
It’s actually quite the opposite.
So what was so different about a remote, unplugged vacation versus any other?
Don’t keep track of timeI didn’t wear a watch or have my phone constantly at arms reach.
I ate when I was hungry.
Slept when I was tired.
I didn’t focus on time passing or being late or things I needed to do later.
Play games, work on puzzlesCard games, board games, crossword puzzles, you name it.
ReflectI wouldn’t go so far as to say I meditated.
For a whole week, there was no mental load of any sort of negativity.
In fact, ‘regular life’ seemed a world away.
Spend time in natureThis is probably the most important aspect of all, at least for me.
What he’s referring to is the impact nature has on our brains.
It’s unlike anything else.
We awaken senses that are otherwise suppressed, and re-ignite pieces of our brain.
We can take in our surroundings and appreciate the smallest of things.
The value has been proven 10 times over already.
Photos byQuinn Dombrowski,Josh Ardle,Danny Choo.
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