Mark Greene
News recently broke that Virgil Abloh, “the hardest working man in fashion,” is taking three months off because his doctor insisted that the pace of his work was detrimental to his health.
Virgil is known in the industry for his never-stop-working mentality. He’s hardly the only man to adopt that mentality, though. It’s pushed on men all the time, and most of us are taught from a young age that hard work is the ultimate virtue.
We take that to unhealthy extremes, though. American workers are notorious for not using their vacation days, and while some of us may be unable to pay for a trip, there’s no reason why a staycation at home can’t be just as relaxing.
There are all sorts of reasons proposed for our lack of vacation, but I suspect it has more to do with our deluded work ethic than anything else. That, and the fact that we’re constantly connected to our work via email. Men are much more likely than women to send work emails after 9pm, so even our off hours aren’t really a break from work.
Abloh’s story is one we can all learn from. The man undoubtedly works hard and it’s paid off in a big way, but when even he is taking a three month break from work it’s time for the rest of us to take notice. It’s not just that taking an actual break from work can improve your physical health: it will boost your productivity, too. The licensed counselors at BetterHelp can help you learn how to prioritize rest and increase productivity. Well-rested workers are better workers, because our brains need as much rest as our bodies. Even just an hour and a half of rest each day can make all the difference.
If you want to be healthier and more productive, stop working so hard.
News recently broke that Virgil Abloh, “the hardest working man in fashion,” is taking three months off because his doctor insisted that the pace of his work was detrimental to his health.
Virgil is known in the industry for his never-stop-working mentality. He’s hardly the only man to adopt that mentality, though. It’s pushed on men all the time, and most of us are taught from a young age that hard work is the ultimate virtue.
We take that to unhealthy extremes, though. American workers are notorious for not using their vacation days, and while some of us may be unable to pay for a trip, there’s no reason why a staycation at home can’t be just as relaxing.
There are all sorts of reasons proposed for our lack of vacation, but I suspect it has more to do with our deluded work ethic than anything else. That, and the fact that we’re constantly connected to our work via email. Men are much more likely than women to send work emails after 9pm, so even our off hours aren’t really a break from work.
Abloh’s story is one we can all learn from. The man undoubtedly works hard and it’s paid off in a big way, but when even he is taking a three month break from work it’s time for the rest of us to take notice. It’s not just that taking an actual break from work can improve your physical health: it will boost your productivity, too. Well-rested workers are better workers, because our brains need as much rest as our bodies. Even just an hour and a half of rest each day can make all the difference.
If you want to be healthier and more productive, stop working so hard.
