Play Hooky!
Why it’s good to turn off the office
There’s mounting evidence that our “go, go, go” life and work styles are actually making us less effective in the long run. We stop seeing clearly. We aren’t our best selves. Some studies have shown that we actually become less productive after working 50 hours in a week. More is not always better. Yet, many of us resist taking a break from our workday, instead plowing through to do lists or running from meeting to meeting. Why is it that we just can’t seem to take a break?
Many forces keep us chained to doing, such as our devices, our 24x7, always on culture, meeting cultures and ineffective meeting management, and the piling on of work demands. We, in response, try to squeeze more out of a 24-hour day or sacrifice our much-needed sleep, neither of which are sustainable solutions.
What we need to do instead is bring back the childhood concept of playing hooky, even if just for quick respites in the day. Here are 5 tips to be “absent” and get away from work so you can actually become more effective:
1. Press pause. Add “pause” breaks to your schedule and make them sacred. For example, take a 15-minute walk around your office sans a device; simply take in nature and what surrounds you. Or, close the door to your office or find a quiet spot, and pick a 15-minute guided meditation from your favorite meditation app. Science has shown that creativity improves when we step away from a problem. In this case, effort does not always lead to reward. Thinking harder about a problem doesn’t make a creative idea appear; rather, we happen upon answers when we step away from the question and take a break to let our mind wander. In Jonah Lehrer’s book, Imagine, he reports that Joydeep Bhattacharya, a psychologist at Goldsmiths, University of London, has identified alpha brain waves that must be present for insight to become known. The presence of these alpha waves is associated with times of relaxation and pause, which gives our brain the ability to see connections.
2. Meal meetings. A change in scenery can also spur such a creative response, according to Kimberly Elsbach, a professor at the University of California, Davis Graduate School of Management, who studies workplace psychology. So, think about ways you can change your environment and not feel guilty about being absent. An easy way to do this is to meet over meals. Meet a colleague for breakfast at a favorite coffee shop. Make a 2-hour lunch acceptable, by taking your employee out to lunch to brainstorm on a critical project.
3. Email off. The constant pinging of email is the worst distraction not allowing you to focus in the moment. Instead, switch to answering email only during dedicated times in the day. Playing hooky from email can train people on when they can expect a reply and be more patient for a response.
4. Bike commute. Hopping on your bike is a way to delay having work take a hold of you and offers a mental break before diving into the day. Car commutes, on the other hand, are both stressful due to length of time and traffic and are often used to get work done. Biking to work delays the workday and is a child-like experience that can help you start the day with joy rather than frustration.
5. Really vacation. Most of us go on vacation, but then stay connected. Bad idea. Not allowing your mind to be fully away doesn’t give it the rest it needs to recharge. If you invest in going on vacation, really be away. Remember, vacation is the acceptable form of being absent. Don’t give it up. It’s the best gift you can give to yourself.
There’s a real power in playing hooky. You take back ownership of your time and increase your productivity. There’s also that underlying, juicy feeling of getting away with it!