Take a walk, buddy

We are always looking for more ways to be efficient in our businesses: develop new processes, track better time, offer deeper incentives. But what if the secret to achieving better productivity is simply taking a couple walks?

This was the experiment an online invoice and time tracking company decided to undertake with its employees. For 30 days, employees were asked to take two 15-minute walks per day without phones. This idea was based on a study from Stanford University.

Across the company, employees took two fewer days to complete a task than they did before the walks were instituted. These walks offered staff an opportunity to decompress and de-stress, put their minds at rest, boosted satisfaction and improved focus and attention. The boss benefited too because it offered him a chance to catch up with employees on their lives outside of workplace tasks.

We normally view marine businesses as a high-energy environment – one that doesn’t offer opportunities to take unnecessary breaks. But are these breaks really unnecessary? Is the fast-paced environment actually counter-productive to the goals we have in our businesses?

I would be curious to hear if any marine businesses have tried something like this or would like to start, and the results of the experiment. If you have any similar experiences, please share them in the comments.