Required Time Off

What would happen if you were required to take off one day every week, not allowed to do any work, forbidden to check or respond to messages? For workaholics or people addicted to their technological devices this could lead to significant anxiety.

Many of us are caught in a "24/7 on-call culture" according to Harvard Business Review (October 2009). We work long hours, constantly monitor our Blackberrys and other devices, feel pressure to respond immediately to incoming messages, and live with an "always on - always available" mentality. Behind this is a fear that if we take time off, our work will suffer, our careers will stall, efficiency will go down, and we will disappoint or annoy those who can't get us when they want us.

To test this theory, one consulting company announced an experiment in which groups of employees were required to take one day off every week with no checking into the office or other cheating permitted. Despite strong resistance the researchers pushed on attempting to evaluate whether 24/7 responsiveness really does lead to greater productivity and life satisfaction. The participants chose their own days off and there was in-depth, prior discussion about how the work could get done when every team member took at least one day away every week.

Perhaps you have guessed the results. Compared to those who did not participate in the experiment, the time-off teams reported higher job satisfaction, improved communication with colleagues and clients, better production of products, and a more positive perception of their work/life balance. Clients of the day-off teams had no complaints with the company's services and overall there were gains in work quality and efficiency.

It is easy to think of reasons why these results would not apply to individuals, including coaches, counselors and pastors -- including you or me. But ponder how 24/7, Internet driven lifestyles can impact our lives, families, relationships and spiritual growth. Perhaps the HBR article is worth pondering and applying in our own lives. God had it right about the importance of taking a day away at least once every week. - This article is by Gary R Collins, for from Gary see garyrcollins.com