Why we must recharge to be more productive and how I realised it
What happens when you don’t charge your cell phone? You turn down the screen brightness, try not to check your texts, and count down the moments until your phone shuts off altogether! Even our phone- a machine, can’t go on without taking the break to recharge before it can resume being useful.
But when it comes to humans, rest usually ends up getting a bad rap especially where hustling, working hard and “always on” is considered mantra for success. Most of us think about rest as merely the absence of work — not something valuable in its own right. Sometimes, it’s even equated with laziness. But in reality, rest is an essential component of working well and working smart and incorporating it regularly in your routine can actually supercharge productivity and bolster creativity.
But I’m not alluding to the the kind of recharge that involves sneakily checking your email or responding on and off to some unseen slack messages. What I’m referring to is the kind where you can be just present in the moment, with a full disconnection with everything else- something I have personally found to be my biggest personal challenge.
In this last week, I experimented with not taking my phone for my morning walks with my dog. 30 mins of nature walk before I plugged myself back to real world. The first 2 days were the hardest and I found myself frequently reaching out for my phone and getting frustrated and rather impatient. It was a major #fomo even though it was just 30 mins! In the subsequent days, it got a little easier. This little morning routine also led to a more productive day ahead. I was thinking more clearly, writing more effectively and felt more present. I’m still a long way from being fully comfortable without my phone but this exercise was an eye opener on how I’m always “plugged in” even when I don’t realize it. So in the subsequent weeks, I have made it my goal to take a little bit more time every day, every week and every month to learn to recharge.
If you have any tips on recharging, I’d love to hear from you!
#recharge #productivity #creativity
