Chris Myers, the CEO and co-founder of BodeTree.com, was tired, frustrated and unmotivated of the responsibilities that his job entailed so He made a serious decision to take a complete break from his job for a week.
Do you think he did it?
Many people in the world wish they did not have to depend on their jobs in order to live with dignity. However, every morning they get up at the same time to see the same people and put up with their jobs for endless hours doing the same tasks over and over again.
There are also those kinds of people who sThey would stay in their jobs even if they won billions in the lottery. Perhaps there are people who cannot understand this but there are people who are passionate about their work and would not abandon it for a life of relaxation lying in a hammock facing the sea. Are these people addicted to their work?
Many are unable to give up their work obligations and devote more time to their family or social life. They are unable to relax and forget about their job responsibilities; They are lost if they neglect their work.
That's what happened to Chris Myers when he found himself exhausted and stressed out from his obligations and He decided to abandon his job responsibilities for a week.
“There is a lot of evidence that confirms that people who manage to disconnect from their work have a greater feeling of emotional well-being; they are healthier and perform their tasks more productively than their stressed peers, "explained Chris Myers in the magazine 'Forbes'.
Before his job disconnection, Myers set himself a series of goals. It was not about doing nothing for 7 days. He had set a series of goals that he wanted to meet: not looking at his mobile or using the computer, looking for new hobbies other than his work and not writing anything: «I wanted to rest from writing since I was blocked as a writer and I wanted to reconnect with what I love».
When he had established the rules that his retirement should have, he decided to change of scene to avoid temptations lest he start working without realizing it. What is it that he did? He went to Hawaii with his family. What do you think happened?
Goal 1: Forget about any technological gadget.
«As I anticipated, forget about any technological device It was the hardest thing I had to endure. I spend all day glued to my mobile and my tablet, just thinking that I was not going to use them scared me »he declared. He kept his electronic devices in a safe and was distracted by the beautiful landscapes of the island he was on.
«I couldn't stop thinking about what was happening in my office, but I got over it by telling myself that I could do it », recalls. He thought that he would be anxious but found that his mind was becoming more and more free: "Ignoring the phone helped me focus on the present and enjoy every moment".
Escaping all this technology forced him to focus entirely on what he was doing. There were no distractions involved. It was proposed that when he returned he would unplug his phone for 2 hours each day so that he could better focus on his business work.
Goal 2: Looking for new hobbies.
Despite being surrounded by a heavenly environment, Chris Myers decided to forget about bathing in that beautiful sea and spending the day trying delicious tropical cocktails. Conversely, He preferred to dive into books: «It was curious. As I read, my mind kept coming up with amazing ideas to apply to my work »he declared full of emotion. I don't know what would have happened if I had gone diving, I don't know if there, underwater, I would have found such ingenious ideas.
Goal 3: Write nothing.
Before taking this sabbatical, Myers already had trouble consistently writing articles. Inspiration had left him and this was very bad for him. However, it seems that this paradisiacal environment gave him back this inspiration and his mind was filled with many editorial columns: My mind needed a break. I no longer had that daily pressure on deciding what to write. This pressure had me blocked. However, in Hawaii, that blockage disappeared and ideas about what to write flooded my mind ».
It could be said "Test passed"?
Myers returned to his office with renewed energy but soon ran out of that energy: «I guess that relaxation is beneficial in the long run. It is not as simple as flipping a switch, unplugging and turning it back on after 7 days. More time is needed to see the beneficial effects ».
It has always been said that after a vacation we need an adjustment period to get back to work. Myers would surely have needed a period of adjustment before plunging back into the workplace maelstrom.