Newsletter #12 - Grill, Chill, and Recharge: The Art of Taking a Break
Grill, Chill, and Recharge: The Art of Taking a Break (6 min.)
Why stepping away from your inbox could be your best move yet.
Bottom Line Up Front
🌟 Traded my inbox for a BBQ grill and forgot my email.
🔥 Spot the burnout before you get singed and feel irritable.
🎯 Put self-care on the front burner with hobbies and family.
⚖️ Be the work-life balance you wish to see in others.
🍔 Grill, chill, and recharge because a little break won't hurt.
Last week, I traded my inbox for a BBQ grill and forgot all about this email.
I didn't write an email last week because, quite frankly, I forgot. Even though I enjoy writing this email every week, I was so busy last Thursday and Friday that the newsletter slipped my mind.
I aspire to one day have a bank of my musings to pull from and share so I can finally break free from the "Oh snap, it's Thursday! I need to write my email!" But I digress.
Two weeks ago, I had a board meeting in Madison, Wisconsin. Upon my return, we kicked off a project with a long-time client and had a milestone review with another. Since my wife was traveling to see our children, I drove a few hours to my parents' house. By Friday, I was so focused on leaving Chicago before rush hour that I just remembered my writing.
It serves as a good reminder of the importance of taking a break. It reminds me of how crucial it is to pause and recharge to maintain productivity, well-being, and sanity.
Spot the Burnout Before You Get Singed
Amid the constant hustle, it's easy to overlook the warning signs of burnout. For me, it starts with feeling irritable, lacking focus, and experiencing fatigue. Increased workloads and tight deadlines can quickly reduce productivity and disengagement if we're not careful.
Questions to Consider:
- What physical, emotional, or behavioral signs indicate you're nearing burnout?
- How do you respond when you notice these warning signs?
Put Self-Care on the Front Burner
It's essential to make time for self-care and personal interests that help you unwind and disconnect from work. I thoroughly enjoyed disconnecting last weekend and spending time with my relatives. Since my parents retired, they joke that it's always Saturday for them. They also live in a cabin in Wisconsin, where you can't help but feel a little more disconnected from the hustle and bustle of the city.
So, I embraced the "it's always Saturday" mindset and prepared a nice BBQ, including carne asada, pollo asado, asparagus, and corn. I bookended the meal with some adult beverages and s'mores for dessert! I may have forgotten my email, but I still remembered the s'mores!
Questions to Consider:
- What personal hobbies or interests help you recharge and unwind?
- How often do you intentionally make time for self-care activities and to connect with others?
Be the Work-Life Balance You Wish to See
As leaders, we all aspire to model balance, but sometimes, we need a gentle nudge to take that well-earned break. By chance, two of my coworkers were spending a weekend out of town, so I made it a point to encourage them to enjoy their break and promised to respect their time off. I may not always model balanced behavior, but I want to be mindful of their well-being.
Questions to Consider:
- How can you better support your team's work-life balance?
- What changes can you make to foster a culture of well-being?
Grill, Chill, and Recharge: Final Thoughts
So, the story's moral is this: when life gets hectic, embracing the "it's always Saturday" mindset is essential—even if it's just for a weekend. Let's embrace 'it's always Saturday' occasionally and see how it changes our perspective. Remember, your laptop will forgive you for leaving it at home, your inbox can wait a little longer, and a good BBQ (with s'mores, of course) is always worth the time away.
Take a moment to pause, reset, and recharge your batteries. Whether it's grilling with family, heading to a cabin in the woods, or ignoring your email, make sure you find time for self-care and connection.
After all, a little break won't break your productivity, but burnout surely will. Let's keep promoting work-life balance, even if it means starting with just one carne asada at a time.
Miguel Guevara
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