I encourage all of my South African clients to take advantage of this long weekend we have and really seek some well deserved down time and rest. So many of the individuals I partner with are high performance executives who are increasingly finding it difficult to find the discipline to ensure a healthy work/life balance.  

So how important it is to take that break and to slow down & why is this presently a hot topic?

The answer is two fold

  1. One of the fallouts of Covid has led to a increased awareness on the need for a greater focus on well being and a more balanced life. We are realising change has a to happen in order to remain healthy functioning individuals. 
  2. Never before, have we lived in a time where our mental, emotional and physical states are so bombarded with external stimuli and pressures with such high demands on quick turn around

So why is this crucial discipline not being given the weight it deserves?  What do we fear will happen if we slow down?  Where does this guilt come from, if we don’t give “everything”?  Why is this encouraged?

I challenge you on this and I want us to shift our focus to the flip side.

What will really happen if you don’t start slowing down and taking those hours, days or even weeks of necessary and even vital downtime?  

You are not invincible and burn out is real, this would be the long term negative side effect.  Short term will result in lower levels of productivity, high levels of anxiety, increased chaos, increased time off work with sick-leave, and a general high staff turnaround costing company’s thousands if not millions.

The organisaitons that make the strategic changes necessary with a heightened awareness on their employees well being and genuinely encouraging a greater balanced life, will be the ones to survive this unprecedented transition we are presenlty experiencing.

Historically we have celebrated those who work the longest hours and those that go the extra mile.  However, this thought process was born in a time when our external stimuli did not exist on the level or to the degree we now are bombarded with.  Switching off was then possible… Now, in order to have proper rest time, switching off has to become a conscious decision by each and every successful individual, and the skill of “downtime” to be encouraged, by company’s as a crucial part of a successful executives working life.

Switch off those laptops, check out of work mode, be totally present with your family, connect with nature and enjoy.

HAPPY HUMAN RIGHTS DAY, SOUTH AFRICA