In a world full of technology, being able to switch off and take a break from work is becoming harder as we are always connected through our phones, tablets, social media, and laptops. If you are like me, then you will no doubt find it hard to relax out of work and take a break.

It is so vital that you learn to switch off for your own well-being. If you are a manager then it is equally important to encourage your team to do the same in order for them to revitalise and be more productive when they come back into work.

Taking a break, resting, and thinking about something other than work can make a huge difference to your productivity, and so can getting away on holiday. This can have huge benefits in terms of resting your mind and body, which can lead to new ideas and bring solutions to problems that might not have been thought of without the break.

If you do not take a well-earned break then it could lead to interrupted sleep patterns, and your concentration could be affected. This may also impact your ability to do your job effectively.

I have a few ideas on how you and your team can take a break and learn to revitalise…..

  • Make sure that everyone knows that they can take holidays and days off without feeling guilty, spending the weekend doing something completely different as well as enjoying their evenings away from work.
  • I write a to-do list every day so that I can tick off each item as I have completed it. This enables me to feel like I have achieved something throughout the day no matter what else is happening. Encourage your team to do the same and also work with them on time management; look at larger tasks earlier in the day and quick items towards the end of the day.
  • I like to make sure that my team have their personal time to themselves, so they are not expected to pick up calls or emails when they are not in working hours. Most things will wait until they are back in the office and I want them to feel like they can switch off completely. Making sure your staff know this will show them that you are a supportive manager/employer.
  • If you are like me and your phone is constantly buzzing with messages and emails, I suggest either turning it off at night when you go to bed or putting it on a do-not-disturb setting. I am sure there is nothing that can go wrong at midnight if you do not answer the phone. This will help with getting a full night’s sleep and plenty of rest.
  • If you are going on a holiday from work, I always suggest writing a comprehensive handover to your colleagues and manager so that they do not need to contact you whilst you are away. Tie up as many loose ends as possible and make sure your team know everything that may happen, and they will then be able to cope without you.
  • If you and your team are fighting fire and never getting work completed, then it may be because you need to look at your staffing levels and possible recruitment needs. While you and your team are probably happy to do extra hours outside of work for a short period of time, perhaps to launch a new product, long term this can have a very bad effect on staff morale and productivity. It may even lead to burnout for some of your team.

Supporting your people will improve your culture and employee engagement. This will ultimately lead to a better retention rate and happier employees.

If you would like to discuss any recruitment or retention strategies, please get in touch with a member of our team. You can contact us here or call the offices:

Scarborough: 01723 313505

York: 01904 862642

Hull: 01482 762199