5 reasons why you need to give your brain a break
JOBURG – The difficult paradox that doing less allows you to do more is true.
Another year has come and gone in what seems like the blink of an eye.
Even though it has gone by quickly, it has been a long year with rushing from one obligation to the next. Whether you are a business owner or an employee, you are no doubt worn down after a year of running on overdrive.
If you are lucky enough to go away this holiday season, remember that taking a holiday should be more than physically going away and should include switching off and allowing your brain the time to relax and recharge.
While the passion pushers may scoff at the idea – research proves that your brain and your body are not built to function at maximum level throughout the whole year with no breaks.
Here are five reasons why you need give your brain a break now:
• South Africans are stressed
Bloomberg studies have ranked South Africa as the second most stressed nation in the world. Another global study by Ipsos and Reuters revealed that more than half of South Africa’s workforce does not take annual leave. The result is high turnover, low engagement and stagnant teams.
Another constant stressor is financial worry. The 2017 Sanlam Benchmark Survey shows that 73 per cent of South Africa’s middle class are stressed due to their financial situation, while 20 per cent indicated that they ‘prefer not to think about these issues’ and 12 per cent said they are simply not coping.
• A worn down muscle will not work
Neuroscientists said you should treat your brain like a muscle – with rest and exercise. Like any muscle, a stressed, overworked brain will wear down. Stress makes it harder to concentrate and more difficult to feel satisfied and consistently engaged in your work.
Ever feel like your brain is full? That is because your brain builds connections when you learn new things and it needs to prune unnecessary information to make room for more connections. Scientists call this pathway-efficiency and it happens when you sleep.
Chances are you have not been sleeping enough to rest the brain throughout the year. The holidays are the time to let the brain remove unwanted connections and reset itself for the year ahead.
Resting your thinking matter will boost productivity, sharpen memory and foster happiness, which will ultimately inspire creativity and problem-solving abilities.
On the flip side, continuing light exercise while on leave will strengthen the connections forming in the brain. Stimulate yourself intellectually with activates unrelated to work. Whether doing crossword puzzles or a cooking class, constantly seek recreational information to ponder.
• Rejuvenate the body and mind
By constantly running your brain on overdrive, you reduce the ability to think creatively and strategically tackle complex problems. Business success hinges on your ability to do both.
An overworked brain could lead to anxiety, digestive problems and long-term health problems which could result in you needing to take sick leave.
Neuroscientists have found our bodies benefit from resting our grey matter and our brains gain from exercising our bodies.
• Concentrate on one thing at a time
The human brain is not wired to perform two tasks at once, let alone three or four. Forcing yourself to switch between tasks fatigues the frontal lobe, slowing its efficiency and performance. Technology can be a culprit here. Leave your laptop, work phone and any work related devices at home.
• Nurture a resilient, creative brain
It can seem like your brain does all the heavy thinking when you are hyper-focused, making you more reluctant to lose the focus even when on holiday. The latest brain research shows that daydreaming activates different parts of the brain, allowing your creativity and problem-solving abilities to thrive.
A rested brain is still hard at work processing information and resolving challenges without you knowing. With all the time to daydream and rest, you could be solving problems, developing breakthrough solutions and strategising your business success for next year.
The difficult paradox that doing less allows you to do more is true. Plus, you deserve it and so do your loved ones. Importantly, your business success for the coming year depends on it.
