How to Take Care of Your Health While Setting New Productivity Records – Part 2: The Art of Restorative Breaks
In the first part of this series, we explored how incorporating stretching and physical exercises into your daily routine can mitigate the health risks associated with prolonged sitting.
Now, let’s dive into another crucial aspect of maintaining your health while working hard: taking restorative breaks. This isn’t just about stopping work for a few minutes; it’s about engaging in activities that genuinely refresh your mind and body. One such activity is the Dutch concept of niksen.
Before we go any further, here’s a disclaimer: I’m not a health expert. What I share is based on my personal experience and common sense. This is a journey, and I hope to discover more helpful ideas as I progress.
The Importance of Restorative Breaks
It’s easy to get caught up in the demands of work and forget to take breaks. However, skipping breaks can lead to burnout, decreased productivity, and various health issues. Restorative breaks help to reset your mind, reduce stress, and improve overall well-being. They are essential for sustaining high levels of productivity over the long term.
When you’re deeply engrossed in a task, taking a break can feel disruptive. However, stepping away can actually help solidify your thoughts, offer new perspectives, and more than anything, it contributes to better overall health by reducing stress and preventing burnout.
What is Niksen?
Niksen is a Dutch term that translates to “doing nothing.” It’s the practice of purposefully taking time to be idle and letting your mind wander. This might sound counterproductive, but niksen can have significant benefits for your mental and physical health.
How to Practice Niksen
1. Find Time: Make time for spontaneous sessions of niksen throughout your day. Do not plan! Instead, seize the moment when you feel the need to unwind. The ideal time to take a break is when transitioning from one task to another. This provides a natural memo for a break, allowing your brain to shift gears more smoothly and efficiently. Use this transition time for niksen.
2. Find a Comfortable Space: Choose a quiet and comfortable place where you can relax without distractions. This could be a cozy corner in your home, a park bench, or even your office chair. Personally, I find my balcony to be an ideal spot for unwinding.
3. Let Your Mind Wander: Allow yourself to daydream, observe your surroundings, or simply breathe deeply. The goal is NOT to focus on any particular task or worry about productivity.
DOs & DON’Ts
- You DO NOT look at phone or read a book or watch TV.
- Slowly sipping water during niksen can be both refreshing and calming.
- Perform eye exercises to reduce eye strain, especially if you spend long hours staring at a computer screen. Roll your eyes, look at distant objects, and blink frequently to keep your eyes healthy.
Other Forms of Restorative Breaks
While niksen is simple and wonderful way to recharge, there are other restorative activities you can incorporate into your breaks:
- Power Naps: A short nap of 10-20 minutes can significantly boost your alertness and performance. If you nap at your desk, it’s easier to avoid sleeping too long. If you use a bed, set an alarm to ensure you wake up on time.
- Short Walks: Take a brisk walk around your office or home. Walking not only helps to stretch your legs but also clears your mind and boosts creativity. Plus, you can get a healthy dose of vitamin D, if you step out!
- Shavasana, is a fundamental yoga practice aimed at achieving deep relaxation and mental clarity. By lying flat on your back with arms and legs comfortably spread, you allow your body and mind to enter a state of complete rest, promoting stress relief and overall well-being.
- Mindful Breathing: Spend a few minutes focusing on your breath. Practice your favorite Pranayama technique; mine is Anulom Vilom. If you haven’t practiced Pranayama before, you may want to start with simpler techniques. I recently read and tried the ideas mentioned by Olsen and found them very effective. You can check out his insights here:
- Quick Meditations: Use a meditation app to guide you through a short session. Even five minutes of meditation can have a profound impact on your mental clarity and emotional balance.
Remember, investing in your health pays off best through small, consistent, long-term habits—much like compound interest—rather than seeking immediate, jackpot-like results.
Taking restorative breaks, including practicing niksen, can transform your workday and enhance your overall well-being. By giving yourself permission to pause and recharge, you’ll be better equipped to handle the demands of work and maintain your health.
Epilogue
I was amused by a TV commercial for a soft drink where a lazy guy is idling around, and another guy tries to persuade him to go do some work. The lazy guy asks why he should bother, and the other replies that it will make him rich and successful. When he asks what will happen if he becomes rich and successful, the answer is that he will be able to relax and enjoy life. The lazy guy shuts the other up by asking, “What do you think I’m doing now?”
This story humorously contrasts idleness without work with idleness after a lot of work. The key difference is the achievements made along the way. By being organized and productive, we gain control of our time, giving us the power to choose how to spend it. This power helps us stay productive while also finding ways to relax, promoting healthier, sustainable productivity. So, don’t be ashamed of relaxing or taking breaks—they are essential for long-term success.
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Rediscovering Edwin C. Bliss: A Journey Through Time and Wisdom
Moving from the bustling streets of Mumbai to the serene city of Pune, I recently stumbled upon a hidden gem from my past. While packing, I unearthed an old Reader’s Digest book that I had bought during my student days in the 1990s from a Sunday street sale in Mumbai. The book, focused on “organizing yourself,” brought back memories of my long-standing interest in productivity.
As I began to reread this book, I turned to the acknowledgments page and noticed an article sourced from a book called “Getting Things Done” by Edwin C. Bliss. This discovery was surprising, as the title “Getting Things Done” has always been synonymous with David Allen. Intrigued, I read the article and was captivated by its insights. Determined to find the original book, I searched Amazon.in to no avail but eventually found a used copy on Amazon.com for $1, plus $6 for shipping. After a long wait, the book arrived, and it was a pleasant surprise to find it brimming with rich ideas. It’s evident that some of these ideas may have influenced David Allen’s work.
As a tribute to Edwin C. Bliss, this year, I decided to share 17 of his quotes on LinkedIn and other social media platforms. Here is that compilation for you:
17 Timeless Quotes from Edwin C. Bliss on Productivity and Time Management
- No
- “Of all the time-saving techniques ever developed, perhaps the most effective is the frequent use of the word no.”
- Planning
- “There is no more productive use of time than planning ahead.”
- Procrastination
- “Divide and conquer applies to tasks just as it does to armies or enemies.”
- Communication
- “A frequent cause of time waste is a lack of clear, direct, germane communication between people.”
- Bottleneck
- “Keep in mind that to get anything done in this world, you often must be willing to be a bit obnoxious.”
- Crisis
- “Failure to start early enough is only one cause of crises.”
- Health
- “If you find time for watching television but not for tennis or golf or jogging, you are violating the most basic rule of time management, which is to do the most important things first.”
- Break
- “You should not think of a restorative break as poor use of time. Not only will being refreshed increase your efficiency, but relieving tension will benefit your health. Anything that contributes to health is good time management.”
- Fun
- “Work is fun only when you have it under control, and leisure is fun only when you can relax without feeling guilty, knowing that you’ve earned a good rest.”
- Crisis
- “Whenever you are faced with a crisis, ask yourself, What can I do to prevent this crisis from recurring?”
- If Only
- “There is no greater waste of time than regret.”
- Siesta
- “A siesta isn’t for everyone, but if you’re one of those who perk up after one, do your darndest to arrange your schedule accordingly.”
- Prime Time
- “The best time of the day should be spent on the things that matter most, the things that require top energy, complete alertness, greatest creativity.”
- Efficiency versus Effectiveness
- “Sound time management involves thinking in terms of effectiveness first and efficiency second.”
- Office Bag
- “The only justification for taking your briefcase (office bag) home every evening is that you intend to use it the following morning for transporting your lunch.”
- Scheduling
- “Allocate blocks of time to the one or two really important things you must get done during the day, and leave plenty of unscheduled time for visitors, phone calls, unforeseen emergencies, and secondary tasks.”
- Perfectionism
- “There is a difference between striving for excellence and striving for perfection. The first is attainable, gratifying, and healthy. The second is unattainable, frustrating, and neurotic.”
In addition to these insightful quotes, another treat from Edwin Bliss is an audiobook available thanks to Simon & Schuster. I could only get it on my Amazon.com Audible account, but it was so refreshing. This engaging, conversational book offers practical advice on how to fix procrastination. If this topic interests you, I highly recommend giving it a listen.
Revisiting Edwin C. Bliss’s wisdom has been a rewarding journey. His timeless insights continue to inspire and guide us in our quest for better time management and productivity. Whether you are seeking to eliminate procrastination, improve your planning, or balance work and leisure, Bliss’s principles provide valuable guidance for enhancing efficiency and effectiveness in both your professional and personal life.
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How to take care of your health while you are busy setting new records of productivity – 1
Prologue
After reading my ideas on enhancing personal productivity, one of my long-time associates sent me a message: “You should write something on avoiding cervical spondylitis and better sitting positions—common problems we are facing.” My first thought was, “Come on, I am not an ergonomist.” But then I understood his perspective.
Talking solely about productivity is like promoting an industry without addressing the environmental risks or suggesting ways to mitigate them. To take a more contemporary example, it’s like launching a cryptocurrency without a plan to reduce energy consumption.
So, I gave him a more reassuring response: “OK. Let me see how to tie some of these to what I know.” And that’s the spirit behind this write-up.
Motivation
If you are still not convinced about you need to do something about your health along with the sedentary work, let me advise a powerful video that I saw few years ago. It’s a very impactful video by Markus Rothkranz on the health hazards of a sedentary lifestyle. While some of his claims might be debatable, the core message is clear: We are harming our health when we remain sedentary, like sitting in front of a computer for extended periods.
But work needs to get done, and we need to be in front of a computer for that. So, here are some ideas I employ to mitigate these ill effects and stay productive while maintaining good health. Of course, I’m not a health expert, and I share this based on my experience and common sense. This is a journey, and I hope to discover more helpful ideas as I progress.
Physical Exercises
These exercises take very little time but are highly effective in mitigating the damage caused by prolonged sitting.
- Lower Back and Leg Stretches – Long periods of sitting affect the lower back and legs. I found this video by Tone and Tighten very useful for controlling back pain. (6 minutes)
- Neck Exercises – Tone and Tighten also provides a great set of neck exercises. (6 minutes)
- Static Stretches – Static stretches involve adopting and holding a position that stretches a muscle or group of muscles. This video from Harvard Medical School offers a comprehensive set of static stretches. (6 minutes)
- Dynamic Stretches – Dynamic stretches typically take specific muscles and joints through their normal range of motion, loosening up the joints and stretching the muscles. This video from Harvard Medical School provides a thorough set of dynamic stretches. (6 minutes)
Including these exercises, which take just about 20 minutes in total, in your daily routine will keep your body flexible and prepared for the perennial onslaught of work.
Pro tip: It’s not an all-or-nothing matter. Don’t feel overwhelmed by trying to do all four exercises right away. Start with your favorite one, then gradually incorporate the others as you feel comfortable. Remember, something is always better than nothing. More often than not, you’ll find yourself completing all of them, but even if you don’t, every bit helps. A wonderful addition would be to include weight training, cardio, or swimming sessions three days a week.
Let’s talk about another interesting and vital exercise in the next post in this series.
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Raising the Bar: Elevating Pomodoro to the Next Level
If you have mastered the Pomodoro Technique and are looking to elevate your productivity further, consider integrating it with the Getting Things Done (GTD) methodology. While Pomodoro teaches you to focus in bursts, take breaks, and maintain productivity, it can fall short if your priorities aren’t clear. This is where GTD comes in.
For those unfamiliar with the Pomodoro Technique, it is a popular time management method that helps individuals maintain focus and productivity. Developed by Francesco Cirillo in the late 1980s, this technique breaks work into intervals, typically 25 minutes in length, separated by short breaks. Each interval is known as a “Pomodoro,” named after the tomato-shaped kitchen timer that Cirillo used. By working in short, focused bursts and taking regular breaks, you can enhance concentration and prevent burnout.
GTD complements Pomodoro by helping you manage your tasks more effectively. It ensures that all – mind you, all – your tasks are captured in a foolproof system, breaks down complex tasks into actionable steps, and prioritizes them into a weekly and daily plan. It also keeps track of less urgent tasks by reviewing them during a weekly reflection.
The essence of GTD is its systematic task management approach, which effectively plugs productivity leaks and provides strategies to combat procrastination. Here’s how GTD achieves this:
- Capturing Tasks, Ideas, and Commitments – This seemingly simple task is often the toughest, requiring us to ensure nothing slips through the cracks. It involves labeling all work sources and deliberately scanning them daily. Cultivating this habit is paramount for the success of subsequent stages.
- Clarifying task details – This step requires deliberate thoughtfulness, which can be challenging given our natural inclinations to not do so frequently. However, once we acknowledge this tendency, we can strategically allocate the best time slot of the day for obtaining clarity instead of rushing through tasks. Leveraging powerful tools such as mind maps aids in achieving clarity through a tree-structured work breakdown.
- Organizing tasks into categories – GTD avoids dealing with lengthy, overwhelming to-do lists by segregating tasks into weekly specifics and back-burner items, every weekend, enabling focused attention on the right tasks. We rely on week-specific to-do lists daily to distill the day-specific tasks, fostering confidence in our chosen actions for each day.
- Revisiting back burner tasks – Neglecting these tasks can lead to major setbacks. GTD recommends reviewing such items weekly to prevent them from becoming urgent and causing regret for procrastination.
- Maintaining Organized Work Materials – GTD’s overall philosophy emphasizes proper organization in every aspect of work. It ensures planned spaces for everything, facilitating easy retrieval when needed.
By integrating GTD with the Pomodoro Technique, you can enhance your productivity and task management. GTD ensures that all your tasks are captured, clarified, and organized, while Pomodoro provides the framework for focused execution. Together, they create a powerful system that helps you stay organized, prioritize effectively, and achieve your goals with greater efficiency.
Embrace this synergy to take your productivity to the next level and make the most of your time and efforts.
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(Originally published in Times of India on May 29, 2024)
Travel Zen: How to Stay Organized Before, During, and After Your Trip
With the travel and holiday season in full swing in India, many of us are gearing up for exciting adventures and much-needed breaks. Whether you’re planning a relaxing beach getaway, an adventurous mountain trek, or a cultural city tour, being organized can make your travel experience smooth and enjoyable. Here’s a guide to help you stay organized before, during, and after your trip.
BEFORE YOUR TRIP:
- Create a Mind Map: Start by breaking down your travel goal into manageable preparatory actions well in advance. Visualize your trip in detail, from booking flights and accommodations to planning activities and packing essentials. For example, if you’re visiting the Gir Forest in Gujarat, include steps like booking safari tickets in advance and planning your sightseeing itinerary. This holistic approach ensures nothing slips through the cracks. You may want to review the places to visit and choose your candidates so that you can make the right use of your time there.
- Compile a To-Do List: Consistently review and update this list to track your progress and stay on top of tasks. Early preparation can reduce last-minute stress and help you feel more organized and ready for your adventure. For instance, if you’re traveling abroad, check the visa requirements, or if you need specific items like good sneakers or a swimming costume, add them to your list.
- Develop a Packing Checklist: Maintain multiple variations of a comprehensive travel packing checklist tailored for different types of trips, such as business or vacation, flight or car travel, visiting relatives, or staying in a five-star accommodation. These lists should include everything from clothing and toiletries to travel documents and gadgets. Checking off items as you pack ensures you don’t forget anything important, giving you peace of mind. For example, for a beach vacation, your checklist might include swimsuits, sunscreen, beach towels, and snorkeling gear. Reviewing such a checklist early can help identify additional tasks for your to-do list.
DURING YOUR TRIP:
- Immerse Yourself in Leisure: Fully enjoy your time away, immersing yourself in relaxation and new experiences. However, keep a quick list handy to jot down any new tasks, work-related thoughts, or creative ideas that may come to mind. This helps prevent your mind from constantly drifting back to work. Using a note-taking app like Google Keep handy will make it easy to do so. For example, if you suddenly think of a great idea for a work project while lounging by the pool, jot it down quickly so you can revisit it later without interrupting your relaxation. Check out more details here.
- Stay Flexible: Embrace spontaneity and be open to new opportunities that may arise during your trip. Sometimes the best experiences come from unexpected moments. Whether it’s trying a local delicacy, joining a cultural event, or taking a detour to explore a hidden gem, staying flexible adds a sense of adventure to your journey.
AFTER YOUR TRIP:
- Organize Your Memories: Once you’re back, take time to organize and store all your photos and videos. Collect, filter, and archive them in designated folders or platforms for easy access and future reference. For example, you could create folders labeled by date and location on your computer or upload them to a cloud service like Google Photos or Dropbox. This not only helps preserve your memories but also makes it easy to share your travel stories with friends and family.
- Reflect: As you return from your journey, take some time to reflect on your experiences. Reflecting on your travels not only helps preserve memories but also contributes to better planning for future adventures.
- Consider writing a travelogue to capture the highlights of your trip and document any new insights gained.
- This is also an excellent opportunity to update your travel packing checklist based on what worked well and what you may have missed.
- You may want to review your expenses.
By following these steps, you can make your travel experience more enjoyable and stress-free, ensuring you’re well-prepared before, fully present during, and efficiently organized after your trip.
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(Originally published in Times of India on May 19, 2024)
Efficiency Unplugged: Strategies for Staying Efficient Away from the Office
In our professional lives, there are moments when we step away from our familiar work environments, whether due to business trips, unexpected health issues, or managing urgent responsibilities in diverse locations. These situations present unique challenges and opportunities for maintaining productivity.
Consider one of my clients, the head of security at a multinational cash-handling company. He frequently finds himself on the move, tracking down lost funds and addressing urgent matters across different locations. During our discussions, he shared the challenges he faces during these busy periods, including the impact on his focus and organizational efficiency.
Similarly, another client, a director overseeing multiple hospitals, experiences the demands of constant mobility. Whether overseeing construction projects, liaising with vendors, or setting up new facilities, he struggles to maintain organization and productivity outside his office. A single business trip can disrupt his routine, leaving him feeling disorganized and overwhelmed.
Reflecting on my own recent experience, I unexpectedly spent four days in the hospital due to a sudden stomach upset. While I was comfortable, being confined to a hospital bed kept me away from my usual work and routine life.
These events are part and parcel of our lives, and unless you have a good strategy to handle them, you may feel overwhelmed upon returning to the chaotic situation at work. Preparing before leaving the office, such as delegating responsibilities and setting up out-of-office replies, can help control affairs at work, but it may not prevent the overwhelm upon your return.
However, even a small time investment done daily while you are away could keep you confident and in control. Let’s explore some strategies:
- Keeping an eye on all your work sources: Stay updated with your emails, phone calls, and messaging apps. Whenever you have a spare moment, review your incoming messages and notifications. If you identify any actionable items, note them down in your to-do list immediately. For quick tasks that take less than two minutes to complete, address them right away to prevent them from piling up. If you receive a message or email that requires deeper understanding, avoid marking it as “unread” to remind you as it is not a foolproof mechanism. Instead, note down an action to revisit and carefully read the message when you have more time. By consistently investing a little time in managing your work sources, you’ll build an inventory of actionable tasks and stay on top of your responsibilities.
- Journaling: During your time away, maintain a journal (or continue maintaining your journal if you already do), to document your experiences, thoughts, and ideas. Regular journaling not only helps you reflect on your activities but also serves as a repository for valuable insights and action items. Whenever you jot down an idea or identify a task that needs attention upon your return, promptly add it to your to-do list. Journaling is a simple yet effective way to stay organized and ensure that important tasks are not overlooked amidst the distractions of being away from your regular work environment.
- Brainstorming: Utilize moments of solitude or downtime for brainstorming complex tasks or goals. Choose a specific project or objective that you’ve been grappling with and take the time to create a detailed mind map. As you brainstorm, you’ll likely gain clarity on the steps needed to move forward and identify actionable tasks to progress. Save your mind map digitally to ensure you don’t lose your insights. By leveraging these moments for focused brainstorming, you can make significant progress on challenging projects even while away from your usual work environment.
- Reading: Utilize e-book platforms like Kindle or Audible to access a library of books that you can read or listen to during downtime. Many of us lament not having enough time to read, but you’ll find that you have moments to spare while away. It’s surprising how a few minutes here and there can add up to meaningful reading time. Additionally, consider carrying one or two physical books as backup, especially in environments where electronic gadgets may not be permitted. Having reading material on hand ensures you can make the most of any downtime and expand your knowledge or enjoyment during your time away.
By implementing these strategies, you can maintain productivity and clarity even when away from your regular work environment.
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