“So what are you looking for in your next employer?”
“Nap pods.”
“Thank you for coming in today. Lisa will show you to the exit.”
Alright, so it might not make a great interview response, but I’m 100% serious about destigmatizing the workday recharge. The first time I raised the idea of creating a dedicated space for relaxation to management it was met with such contempt that my boss assumed it was an attempt at dry humor. I’ll admit I suffer from reflexive sarcasm, but one thing I will not joke about is naps.
Unfortunately this negative response would probably be a common one, and of course I understand the challenges with investing capital and square footage to a dedicated place of rest and relaxation. But the frustrating part is that the idea is laughed off before any honest consideration is given. Like the idea that acknowledging human beings are anything other than productivity automatons is an absurd concession.
Why not working makes work better
Understanding your physical and psychological safe zone is a vital component of maintaining a healthy work-life blend. When you feel worn down, agitated, or ineffective, that’s your body signaling to you that you’re redlining. Like all machines, you were not meant to run at that level for extended periods of time, and your work output will simply be worse if you operate in burnout mode longer than your body can tolerate. If you can acknowledge when you’ve eclipsed your productivity breaking point — or better yet recognize when it’s getting close — you can save you and your employer heaps of undue stress and usually get to a completed assignment faster. You just have to let off the gas for a bit.
The paradox here, of course, is that when you’re busiest is when you’ll least likely afford yourself a break. But the truth is that taking a short walk, doing some meditative breathing exercises, or making yourself a cup of tea at these make-or-break moments often results in a far greater value to your organization (and you!) than powering through. Disappearing for a short window of time is rarely noticed by colleagues and if it ultimately leads to a better work product at the end of the day, that’s all anyone will remember.
This is where an employer or a manager can step in and affect a mutually positive change. If a place of work proactively encourages a natural workday balance, it signals trust and genuine interest in staff wellbeing. This culture shift takes the form of policies discouraging lunchtime meetings or normalizing night and weekend work. It looks like an acknowledgement of mental health and fatigue, especially during challenging social or world events. It’s understanding that an open office seating environment kind of actually sucks and people might not be able to do their best work when they’re perpetually on display. And if your organization is really serious about destigmatizing rest, physical office space can actually be designed for repose (think of a meditation room or a cafe).
A fifteen minute break to collect yourself between back-to-back meetings can be the difference between a productive afternoon and an unnecessarily heated exchange over something inconsequential. For me personally, it is actually wild how staring at grass for ten minutes helps my brain naturally filter good ideas from the mediocre ones.
These are all examples of short form break types, but don’t forget to find ways to separate your personal life from the office, too. Work hard. Make great things. Respect your rhythms. And take your damn PTO. The grind is only the grind if it wears you down.