Masterful Mindsets

“There is virtue in work, and there is virtue in rest. Use both and overlook neither.” ~ Alan Cohen

Last week I got on my soapbox about multitasking. (Or task switching, as it really is.) And why trying to do multiple things at once usually doesn’t help us get more done. In fact, constantly switching our attention can leave us feeling more scattered, stressed, and mentally exhausted.

So this week, I want to build on that idea with another practice that can sometimes feel counterintuitive when you have a lot to accomplish: taking a break.

If you feel guilty when you stop working, believe you don’t have time for breaks, or regularly tell yourself, I’ll just push through until I get this done, this post is especially for you. Because just as trying to do everything at once can actually make you less efficient, pushing yourself to keep going when your mind and body need a reset can have the same effect.

Sometimes pushing harder doesn’t help you accomplish more. It simply leaves you...