Recently I spent a week on the tropical island of Jamaica.  While winter is one of my favourite seasons, a dose of higher watt sunshine, humidity, warm waters and hot sand, injected into the middle of a Canadian winter is good for the body, soul and spirit.

On vacation I typically refrain from reading or responding to emails or voicemails. I work with many talented people who are able to effectively address any situation that arises. Therefore, there is little that requires my input or involvement and it allows others to exercise their judgment. During this absence, however, a number of significant business changes and decisions were underway and I chose to stay connected, contributing to larger decisions.

These “interruptions” did not detract from a holiday that was in all ways restful, peaceful, energizing and fun-filled. In fact, it provided excellent reminders of how to be efficient and effective.

Reading email while sitting in a window seat alongside a white strip of sand, turquoise water and ocean breezes is not such a hardship.  Logging in only once per day provided focused time and the many hours away from a laptop allowed for clarity and creative thinking not often achieved during many hours at desk, in meetings and/or connected to technology.

How are you spending your work day? How many times do you check email? Research information on the Internet? Check voicemail messages or pick up your smart phone?

Stephen Covey calls it the “whirlwind”.  You are incredibly “busy” but what have you actually accomplished? Tim Ferris touts an ability to complete our work in four hours per week and I regularly remind people that 20 percent of their work efforts are likely contributing to 80 percent of their results.

Did you know that concert musicians often work in 90 minute spurts? They practice for 90 minutes and then take a 90 minute break.  And runners training for marathons have improved performance through alternating 10 minutes of running followed by 5 minutes of walking.  When we hiked Machu Picchu, those of us who followed our guide’s direction on summit day, to walk for 5 and rest for 2, reached camp with fewer altitude symptoms. Could it be that both our mind and our bodies respond best to repeated cycles of output followed by rest?  Based on the research – I think so.

Stephen Covey recently renamed his four quadrants.  What used to be referred to as Important and Urgent has been renamed Extraordinary Results.  Activities in this category include proactive work, high impact goals, creative thinking, planning, prevention, relationship building and learning and renewal.  Examples include – exercise breaks, networking, reading a journal article in advance of an important meeting, time with family and friends, stopping for nourishing food.

Einstein published three scientific papers and transformed our understanding of the universe during a year in which he spent most time navel-gazing.  How much time over the course of a day, week or a month is spent cultivating extraordinary results? Daydreaming? Planning? Relationship building?

What did I relearn in Jamaica?  Busy is the enemy of creativity.  Cycle through productivity and periods of focus, followed by periods of rest, networking, preparation and socialization.

I am interested in your success stories. How do you step away from the whirlwind? Are you a natural daydreamer or do you have to schedule time for musing and creative thinking? Post your comments below so we can all learn!

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