Good morning! Phil here, checking in from New York City after a week in the Caribbean. It was the first extended stretch where I didn’t touch my laptop since the middle of last year.
Taking extended breaks from work is still a relatively foreign idea to me, but I’ve come back rejuvenated.
Today, we’re breaking down how time off can fuel creativity, refine writing, and offer the chance to be someone new.
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You’re work gets better when you step away
I’ll be the first to admit I was hesitant to take a vacation. I’ve always had a bias toward the “work” part of the work-life balance equation.
It wasn’t until I returned to Manhattan this weekend that I realized how much more energized I felt.
My writing feels sharper now. Words spill out of my pen like a faucet. Not only is my production is higher, but it feels easier.
To extend a career and make it more enjoyable, taking time off is critical. But convincing yourself to step away isn’t so straightforward.
Being a workaholic is common
It’s not quite a cultural phenomenon, but the American culture certainly feeds into the trend.
Simone Stolzoff, the author of The Good Enough Job, told me recently that those who are happiest with their jobs are the ones who do the best job of reclaiming their life outside the office.
“People work all the time, and so they aren’t sure of who they are when they’re not working,” he explained.
“But because they aren’t sure of who they are when they’re not working, they end up working all the time.”
In his reporting, Stolzoff found that those who are happiest are those who have the clearest sense of who they are when they aren’t working.
On vacation, I was able to step into the unfamiliar role of bystander. I enjoyed being an audience member to everyday happenings rather than being one responsible for chronicling them.
Time off has given me new ideas and strategies that I’m eager to test. I’m brimming with enthusiasm to push the pace and see what sticks.
Writer’s block, too, has evaporated. Now it’s as if I don’t have enough hours in the day to get all my ideas on paper.
But all this isn’t to say you have to go to the Caribbean to recharge. There are smaller ways to avoid burnout and recoup.
I’ve always been one to make time every day for unplugging, and for me that happens in the gym.
For years now, exercising has been scheduled into my days like a meeting or reporting assignment.
These small bites of “time off” each day have a powerful, cumulative effect of keeping your mind sharp and body energized.
Tiny, consistent breaks can give you a chance to recharge, away from the demands of work, and they can bridge the gap between vacations.
Let’s get to work.
Talk to you soon.
— Phil
Tip Jar Recs
- ‘Succession’ returns: Did you catch the Season 4 debut episode last night? This 2021 feature of the cast filming Season 3 in Italy is well worth a read. (New York Magazine)
- The most prolific author you’ve never heard of: Unless you’re a fantasy fan, you likely haven’t heard of Brandon Sanderson, which is odd, because he’s sold more books than basically anyone not named Rowling. (Wired)
- Saving baby puffins: Kids and senior citizens alike rally to rescue beloved seabirds in a small Icelandic town. (Smithsonian Magazine)
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