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ZDNET’s key takeaways
- Fast-changing targets leave people feeling burned out.
- Smart business leaders work hard and find time to relax.
- Nature, hobbies, and Lego-building can help you refocus.
It can sometimes feel like there’s a never-ending list of tasks to get through, especially in an era of increased working flexibility, suggests Harvard Business Review, with people burned out by the demand to meet new and fast-changing targets.
These six business leaders ensure they make space in their calendars for family, hobbies, and relaxation. The result is an effective work/life balance. Here are six ways to take time away from the demands of business.
1. Get out in nature to recover
Jakob Rissmann, principal product owner of data services at FlixBus, lives in Munich, Germany, which is near the Alps, so he climbs hills to get a break from the daily grind.
“I love being outdoors, and so I go to the mountains whenever I can,” he said. “That is my work/life balance since forever, and I really enjoy that.”
Rissmann told ZDNET that the busy world of modern business technology means pausing for a break is a challenge.
“Everything moves at such a fast pace and develops so quickly that it’s hard to be in the moment,” he said.
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Hitting the hills gives Rissmann the chance to forget about work and focus on something else.
“When you’re in the mountains, you’re climbing for nine or 10 hours, and you’re absolutely in the moment,” he said. “When I reach the summit in the evening, there’s nothing else I’m thinking about, and that, for me, is a key part. It’s physically exhausting, but mentally absolutely recovering.”
2. Spend quality time with the family
Kirsty Roth, chief operations and technology officer at Thomson Reuters, is another digital leader who spends quality time in nature.
Roth lives with her husband and two daughters in Switzerland, where she spends most of her weekends outdoors in the mountains or on the water.
“I have two kids, and we all like to travel, so we try to do things together,” she said. “We like being outdoors, such as going up in the mountains, and it’s about making sure we get time in nature.”
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Roth told ZDNET recently how she’s helping her business explore new opportunities in artificial intelligence. While these projects are important, she recognized that successful business leaders create a balance.
“There’s more than enough work,” she said. “I could work 24/7 without a problem. But that kind of approach isn’t going to help anyone.”
3. Read books to learn inspiring ideas
Sacha Vaughan, chief supply chain officer at houseware manufacturer Joseph Joseph, said she likes to read: “I like to get out of my own head, and it’s usually non-fiction.”
Vaughan told ZDNET that she enjoyed “Supremacy,” a book about the race to exploit generative AI by Parmy Olson, and “Shoe Dog,” a memoir by Nike co-founder Phil Knight.
“I am interested in the stories, but they also spark a whole load of ideas,” she said. “‘Could we do this, could we do that, and how does this approach fit into what we’re trying to achieve?'”
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Vaughan, who has allied work experiences to academic qualifications, said she enjoys acquiring new knowledge.
“Reading is my inspiration,” she said. “I’m a learning person. My parents did, at one point, ask me whether I would ever stop doing academic studies and get a job. I’m into the idea of learning all the time.”
4. Dedicate time to your big passions
David Walmsley, chief digital and technology officer at jewelry specialist Pandora, said hobbies outside work are critical for the health of well-balanced professionals.
“When I’m at home, getting 10 minutes outside with my cup of coffee helps me reset enormously,” he said. “People must have their own version of that strategy, whatever it is.”
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Like other business leaders, Walmsley told ZDNET on a video call that he dedicates much of his downtime to his family.
“I’ve got two young children, which means there’s a variety of things going on — I could show you the Lego Millennium Falcon that’s sitting right here,” he said. “Lego meditation is important to me. And reading big books — I’ve got a political biography that I’m into right now. Gardening is also a big passion of mine.”
5. Draw on your experiences to relax
Orla Daly, CIO at technology specialist Skillsoft, said achieving the right work/life balance depends on the individual.
“I’m at an age where I take my kids to sporting activities a lot. But for me, it’s about exercise, and even being able to get fresh air and go for a walk or run,” she said. “Exercise allows me to decompress. When I spend time exercising, it feels like I’m doing something good for myself at the same time.”
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Daly told ZDNET she recognizes that it can be tough to turn off from work, but effective business leaders use their experiences to stay calm.
“I don’t know if there’s ever a healthy balance, but I try to create an equilibrium. And I think as you mature in your career, you get better at it,” she said. “With experience, you realize that what may feel like a fire today is probably not a fire. Or, if it is a fire, you can manage it more effectively and maybe manage expectations.”
6. Blend physical exercise into your routine
Fausto Fleites, vice president of data intelligence at ScottsMiracle-Gro, said work makes him the person he is, but he also recognized that office pressures can be all-consuming.
“I’m passionate about work,” he said. “I don’t think I can shut off my mind easily. But there needs to be a balance.”
Fleites told ZDNET that he completes most work during weekdays and makes time for his family in the evenings and on weekends.
“I have key activities that I do with my son that are unavoidable, and I do them every day,” he said. “I cook for him, I do homework, and I put him to sleep every day.”
Fleites also spends time exercising. On weekdays, he gets up at 5 a.m. to exercise and hits the desk early.
“I think physical exercise helps you achieve a work/life balance,” he said. “It’s not the same thing when you work all day continuously, versus when you mix physical exercise and work.”
