Relax! You'll Be More Productive
by Tony Schwartz
We rely on time to help us get more done; when there's more to do, we invest more hours. But
the best way to get more done may be to spend more time doing less
We can increase our energy even though we can't increase the number of work hours in a
day New research shows that daytime workouts, short afternoon naps, longer sleep hours, and
longer and more frequent vacations improve job performance and health.
We know that spending more hours at work often leads to less time for sleep, and insufficient
sleep reduces our performance. In a recent study of nearly 400 employees, researchers found
that sleeping too little-- defined as less than six hours each night- was one of the best predictors
of poor job performance.
A researcher at Stamford University found that when male basketball players slept 10 hours a
night, their performance in practice improved by an average of 9%. Daytime naps have a similar
effect on performance, and longer naps have an even greater impact than shorter ones. A sleep
researcher at the University of California found that a 60-to 90-minute nap improved memory test
results as much as getting eight hours of sleep did
More vacations are also beneficial. Rest and relaxation are part of our physical needs. Human
beings aren't designed to use energy continuously. Rather, we are meant to alternate between
using and recovering our energy
The energy that employees bring to their jobs is far more important to the value of their work
than the number of hours they work. By managing energy more skillfully, it's possible to get more
done, in less time, over a longer period.

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