How a Week Off Transformed Our Team’s Energy and Focus (2024) - Lawyerist

I Did It!

Three weeks in the past, I shared with you my wrestle to completely disconnect from work, even throughout household holidays. As one in every of our leaders, I all the time felt the necessity to “examine in” every day to make sure the whole lot was working easily. However this time, I did it—I actually unplugged!

I spent ten days touring London and the Scottish countryside, and even visited a relative in Paris. I used to be utterly current with my household, soaking in each second with out a single thought of work (okay, some ideas about work sometimes entered my thoughts—however not as many as I anticipated, and I did a terrific job staying out of my inbox and off my laptop). This expertise was not solely refreshing but in addition strengthened the significance of taking a real break.

Why was this time completely different? It’s as a result of our management workforce determined to close our whole firm down throughout the first week of July to present everybody on the workforce a really unplugged break. You may learn extra about that call in my article on Turning Off the Energy.

The Week With out Disaster

Guess what? The corporate didn’t disintegrate throughout our week away! Regardless of some individuals’s fears of returning to a smoldering break, our diligent preparation and implausible workforce ensured that the whole lot ran easily. Our shoppers have been knowledgeable effectively prematurely, and nothing exploded, imploded, or mysteriously vanished. Seems, the world can survive with out us for per week. Kudos to the workforce for proving that with nice preparation and communication, a enterprise can thrive even when everyone seems to be blissfully unplugged.

The Actual Advantages: Enhanced Productiveness

“I’m prepared and excited to be again at work tomorrow! I’ve acquired a brand new perspective and a bunch of concepts that I can’t wait to implement—that is going to be a terrific quarter!”

That was the textual content I acquired on Sunday night time on the finish of our break. Sure! These are the sorts of messages that each chief longs to learn.

Opposite to the idea that shutting down for per week would kill productiveness, the advantages have been actual and noteworthy. Our workforce returned refreshed, reenergized, and able to work with a brand new vigor. The break offered everybody, me included, with the psychological house to loosen up and recharge. After we got here again, there was an unmistakable buzz of pleasure and enthusiasm. Tasks that had been dragging all of the sudden picked up momentum and inventive options to lingering issues started to move. The power was palpable, proving {that a} well-timed break can truly increase productiveness and convey out the very best in everybody.

Dwelling Our Core Values

The companywide shutdown allowed us to place our core values into motion. One workforce member shared with me, “One of many hardest issues a few trip is ensuring I’m leaving sufficient info for others to fill my footwear whereas I’m gone, and questioning what I’ve missed that’s going to trigger a problem for another person. It’s simply troublesome to show off the concern—though the workforce is completely able to dealing with the work whereas I’m out. Our companywide shutdown allowed me to actually set that fear apart, which was wonderful as I didn’t really feel the necessity to examine my messages as soon as!”

One other workforce member, whereas on trip visiting a good friend, was informed, “There’s one thing completely different about you. You’re glowing. Your posture is up, you’re exuding confidence, and your pores and skin has cleared up. You appear extremely relaxed. What’s modified since I final noticed you?” The response was heartwarming: “Effectively, not a lot. I did begin a brand new job just lately, and I’m lastly in a wholesome work atmosphere. It’s been such a breath of recent air!”

Dwelling core values is crucial for any firm, and we emphasize this in our work with legislation corporations daily. Values are extra than simply cute slogans on a web site—they’re the muse of a wholesome, thriving enterprise. The wonderful tales our workforce members shared about their reactions to the break spotlight how deeply our values are embedded in our tradition. When an organization really embodies its core values, it creates a powerful, cohesive tradition the place workers really feel supported, valued, and motivated.

By persistently residing our values, we not solely improve our inside atmosphere but in addition set a strong instance for the corporations we seek the advice of, demonstrating that prioritizing values can result in tangible, long-term success.

In my earlier article, I shared these easy steps legislation corporations can take to embrace paid-time off and guarantee workforce members have unplugged time away. When you’re scratching your head considering this may by no means work at your agency, let’s discuss! It’s potential—not simply right here with our workforce—we’ve helped different legislation corporations make this dream a actuality.

And after a terrific week away, I’m proud to comprehend that our workforce is stronger and able to embrace what’s subsequent.