The research just keeps showing that working longer and harder produces inferior results not just in terms of quality, but also quantity. In fact, active rest—intentionally carving out downtime to relax and recharge—is a secret weapon of some of the most prolific producers.
As quoted in the BBC’s “The compelling case for working a lot less,” author Josh Davis points out:
“Even US founding father, Benjamin Franklin, a model of industriousness, devoted large swathes of his time to being idle. Every day he had a two-hour lunch break, free evenings and a full night’s sleep. Instead of working non-stop at his career as a printer, which paid the bills, he spent ‘huge amounts of time’ on hobbies and socializing. ‘In fact, the very interests that took him away from his primary profession led to so many of the wonderful things he’s known for, like inventing the Franklin stove and the lightning rod,’ writes Davis.”
You can’t be on all the time. Unplug. Relax. Recharge.