Why Having 4 Holidays a Year Will Make You More Productive
M2 Coach Podcast – Why Having 4 Holidays A Year Will Make You More Productive
A year is a long time to stay motivated and productive at work – especially if you’ve only got one holiday at the end to look forward to. A few years back, a good mate introduced me to the ‘four holidays a year’ philosophy and it revolutionised how I work (and relax). The idea is that you break your year up into about 10 to 12 weeks of work (your sprint weeks), with about two weeks of rest in between (I take four weeks at the end of the year).
Increases efficiency
The 10 weeks on, two weeks off structure makes you more productive and efficient. It keeps you motivated to smash through the weeks you do work because you know you’ve got a break to look forward to. It also means you can’t afford to wind down the week before you go on holiday and then spend a week winding up when you get back from your break. When you’re in the allocated work zone, you’re working flat out. Likewise, when you’re on holiday – it’s all about relaxing, exploring and having fun without needing to respond to emails.
Removes guilt
This approach works really well for entrepreneurs who have kids at school and struggle with carving out time away from work. By allocating defined blocks for work and rest and planning for them accordingly, you’ll find you’ll get more work done and have more quality time with family – without feeling guilty about either. The philosophy isn’t only applicable to the self-employed. With a full-time job, you get four weeks a year. You could break your year into 12-week sprints with one-week breaks in between.
My top tips to make the most of your mini breaks
1. SPEND TIME AT HOME AND TIME AWAY
Having a holiday isn’t just about going away. While having a change of scene is great, it’s just as good to hang out at home and have some down time. If we do head away, we make sure to have a few days at home before and after our trip, so we have time to pack and unpack – avoiding the need to rush.
2. PLAN YOUR HOLIDAYS
This is really important. We always make a point of planning our holidays for the year ahead, in January. That way I know exactly what I’ve got to look forward to. It also means we don’t get caught out with nothing to do for our holiday because we were too busy to get organised.
3. MIX IT UP
I love to travel and I make a point of going somewhere new twice a year. This approach pushes me out of my comfort zone and expands my horizons, which I find invigorating.
Final word
When you run your own business, it’s easy to get caught up in the day-to-day grind. It’s important to step back and identify how you can structure your time to be as productive as you can at work and feel recharged and ready to go, after a break. If you want more control of how you live day-in and day-out – take four holidays a year and see where you end up.
Michael Broadbent is the director of Evergreen Life. evergreenlife.nz