Corporate Counter-Culture

I just read a fascinating article on energy management in the Harvard Business Review, discussing a program researchers conducted at Wachovia Bank in 2006.

Our bodies run on “ultradian rhythm,” basically a 90 to 120 minute cycle where we move from high energy to low energy. Signals of the low state include yawning, hunger, and difficulty concentrating.

If you ignore these low points and keep pushing through instead of stopping to recharge, you draw down your energy reserves and often feel exhausted by the end of the day. How many of us have been there?

However, the program showed that if you set up a ritual that fully disengages you – even for a few minutes – from the task you were working on, you end up with higher, more sustainable performance & productivity. You might even find a creative solution to the problem you were grappling with. Breaks include taking a walk around the building, laughing with a colleague, or holing up in a conference room to listen to your theme song on your iPod.

Perhaps taking breaks is against your corporate culture, but given the success of this program, maybe, just maybe, it’s worth experimenting with yourself. You may end up being positively surprised!

Quote of the Week: “If you never budge, don’t expect a push.” –Malcolm S Forbes