Relax in a Hammock
In today’s world we are busy, busy, busy. And with that busy-ness, comes stress. That’s one of the key reasons Yellow Leaf Hammocks was created; to inject people’s lives with a more moments of relaxation and ease. Through our hammocks, we hope people feel more relaxed and take a few more moments for themselves. We think that chilling in a hammock is all the reason you need to take a break, but in case you’re not convinced here are a few more reasons why taking some time to nothing may just help you get more done!
Breaks make you more productive!
Studies have shown that a 15 minute break after every hour of work helps people more focused and productive. Sitting for hour after hour causes our heart rate to slow and our mind to become sluggish since our brains are getting less oxygen-rich blood. That’s why it is important to get your blood reflowing and stimulate your brain in a different way. Whether it’s a walk around the block or a quick chat with your co-worker, giving your mind a rest and your legs a stretch is important to keeping you sharp and focused. Try setting an alarm on your phone or computer to go off every hour to remind you to take a short respite and “recharge”
Downtime prevents burnout
When we overwork ourselves to the point of exhaustion, it doesn’t matter how much more time we put into a project. We’re not going to make much progress. When we’re intellectually spent we don’t make the best decisions either. We don’t have access to all of our creativity and intellect. This is true for short-term exhaustion such as pulling an all-nighter to meet a deadline, but it is also true for long-term burnout caused by years of nonstop stress. To prevent burnout in the short-term try the suggestions above. To avoid longer-term, chronic exhaustion, be sure to have activities outside of work that reward and refresh you. Whether it is going to the gym, yoga, spontaneous rendezvouses with friends, or learning a new skill, make sure it is something that is enjoyable, interesting, and isn’t a burden to do.
Mindless time is often when we are the most creative and do our best problem solving
You know how your best ideas always seem to come to you in the shower? Why is that? Yes, the soothing warm water and the fact that you are relaxed have something to do with it, but also consider that your time in the shower is empty. You can’t really do anything else when taking a shower. We can’t be on our black berries or smartphones, we can’t surf the web on our laptop or tablets, and (for most of us) the TV is in another room. Devoid of distractions we are actually able to find some time to think, to fantasize, to imagine, and to dream. Give yourself more opportunities during the day when you put all demands of your attention on hold and daydream a little.
So next time you’re feeling overwhelmed, tired, or distracted, give yourself permission to do something fun, get up and stretch, or do nothing at all for a few moments. And for those die-hard workaholics that insist on working nonstop, I have one request: at least do it in a hammock!
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