Sunday Pick: The Science of Recharging on Weekends and Vacations | ReThinking with Adam Grant

Podcast Information:

• Title: TED Talks Daily
• Host/Author: TED
• Episode: Sunday Pick: The Science of Recharging on Weekends and Vacations | ReThinking with Adam Grant
• Release Date: July 6, 2025

Introduction: The Importance of Taking Breaks

Elise Hu opens the episode by highlighting the common knowledge about the necessity of relaxation and recharging. However, she points out a prevalent issue: many individuals either don’t utilize their vacation days or fail to unwind even during weekends. This episode of "Work Life with Adam Grant," selected by TED Audio Collective, delves into the science behind taking breaks, aiming to prevent burnout and optimize time off for enhanced productivity and well-being.

Implementing Mandatory Vacations: Shashank Nijam’s Initiative

[03:18] Shashank Nijam:
"It was so alien that I thought, this is something I definitely need to implement and try out."

Shashank Nijam, founder and CEO of Simplifying, shares his transformative journey in addressing employee burnout. Observing that his team members were overworked and rarely taking time off, Nijam decided to implement a mandatory vacation policy: “Everyone's going to take a week off every seven weeks.”

[03:55] Shashank Nijam:
"We actually added a stick to it as well from day one."

To ensure compliance, Nijam introduced strict measures: employees would lose a week's pay if they engaged in any work-related communication during their designated time off.

Challenges with Unlimited Vacation Policies

Adam Grant critiques the often-intended positive impact of unlimited vacation policies, explaining that without clear guidelines, employees may take fewer days off due to fear of appearing less dedicated. Nijam’s experience echoes this sentiment as he recounts initial resistance when Simplifying transitioned from an unlimited to a structured vacation system.

[06:22] Shashank Nijam:
"We started with an unlimited vacation policy and it worked very well for certain employees... but for the other half of the company... we just never took time off."

This disparity highlighted cultural differences within the global team, particularly contrasting the vacation culture in Spain with that in Singapore and India.

The Power of Regular, Short Vacations Over Infrequent, Long Breaks

Adam Grant emphasizes research indicating that frequent short vacations are more restorative than infrequent long breaks. Studies suggest that taking multiple week-long vacations throughout the year can significantly reduce stress and enhance well-being more effectively than a single extended vacation.

[08:36] Shashank Nijam:
"What if we take a week off every seven weeks? And that's where it struck, huh? Okay, let's do this."

Nijam implemented this by allowing one week off every eight weeks to accommodate team size and workflow, ensuring that vacations were staggered and no two team members were away simultaneously.

Benefits of Mandatory Vacation Policies

Shashank Nijam shares the positive outcomes of this policy, noting significant improvements in productivity, creativity, and employee happiness.

[13:29] Shashank Nijam:
"We learned that productivity, creativity, and employee happiness were all up significantly."

Employees reported higher engagement and enthusiasm upon returning from their breaks, fostering a more vibrant and dynamic work environment.

Baiba Draymond, a project director at Simplifying, highlights another key benefit:

[15:56] Baiba Draymond:
"It's basically allowing myself to rest and not feel guilty about it... it's allowed to not care for a week."

This psychological shift helps employees truly detach from work, enhancing the restorative quality of their time off.

Research Insights: Understanding Recovery

Adam Grant introduces Sabina Sonnentag, an organizational psychologist, who elucidates the concept of recovery through two distinct activities:

1. Relaxation:
   [22:44] Sabina Sonnentag:
   "Relaxation means a low sympathetic activation. So lower blood pressure, lower heart rate."

   Activities like reading or taking a bath fall under this category, promoting calmness and serenity.

2. Mastery Experiences:
   [23:16] Sabina Sonnentag:
   "Mastery experiences could be physical activities or learning a new skill that challenges you."

   Engaging in hobbies that require focus and provide a sense of accomplishment, such as cooking or playing sports, can be equally, if not more, restorative.

Adam Grant relates this to his personal preference for mastery activities:

[24:10] Adam Grant:
"I feel like everything I enjoy doing with my time and what recharges me also is... mentally or physically stimulating."

These activities not only provide a break from work-related thoughts but also instill a sense of progress and confidence.

Personal Anecdotes: Mastery Over Relaxation

Dan Pelosi shares his love for cooking as a means of recovery, illustrating how mastery activities can rejuvenate the mind and spirit.

[22:16] Dan Pelosi:
"Making myself dinner or having my friends over, it's an easy win."

Through cooking, Dan finds focus and creativity, which allows him to detach from work stresses effectively.

[26:07] Adam Grant:
"Each time he experiments with a recipe, he gains a skill and accomplishes something new that expands his sense of mastery."

Dan’s journey from a marketing professional to a full-time recipe creator underscores the profound impact mastery activities can have on personal well-being.

Designing Effective Recovery Strategies

Sabina Sonnentag advises individuals to tailor their recovery activities based on their personal needs and the desired outcomes:

[26:52] Sabina Sonnentag:
"Go for where the greatest need is... If it’s evening, strive for relaxation to help sleep better. If it’s the morning, engage in mastery activities to start the day energized."

This personalized approach ensures that recovery is both effective and aligned with one’s daily rhythms and responsibilities.

Scalability of Mandatory Vacation Policies

Adam Grant and Shashank Nijam discuss the feasibility of implementing mandatory vacation policies in organizations of varying sizes. Initially, Nijam suggested such policies are best suited for companies with fewer than 100 employees. However, Grant counters this by asserting that even large organizations can adopt scalable versions of this model by leveraging diverse teams and advanced planning.

[16:28] Adam Grant:
"This is an experiment worth running in any organization of any size."

Shashank agrees, acknowledging that while larger organizations might observe different outcomes, the fundamental benefits remain consistent.

Conclusion: Reimagining Workplace Breaks

Adam Grant encapsulates the episode’s core message: taking time off is essential, but how we spend that time is equally important. Effective recovery strategies can transform time off from merely a respite to a source of rejuvenation and creativity.

[25:48] Adam Grant:
"Breaks shouldn't be a time to recharge, they should be a time to rejoice."

By fostering a culture that prioritizes well-being through structured and meaningful breaks, organizations can cultivate a happier, more productive workforce.

Key Takeaways:

• Mandatory Vacation Policies: Structured time off can significantly enhance employee well-being and productivity.
• Frequency Over Duration: Regular short breaks are more beneficial than infrequent long vacations.
• Recovery Activities: Balancing relaxation with mastery activities ensures comprehensive recovery.
• Cultural Adaptation: Policies should be tailored to fit the cultural and operational dynamics of the organization.
• Scalability: Both small and large organizations can implement effective vacation policies with proper planning and flexibility.

Notable Quotes:

• Shashank Nijam [03:44]:
  "Everyone's going to take a week off every seven weeks."

• Adam Grant [13:16]:
  "It's better to have a happy employee working on a task that's slightly delayed than a completely exhausted employee delivering on time."

• Sabina Sonnentag [23:45]:
  "Mastery activities ask us for focusing and putting our ATT on a very specific topic... which can provide some aspect of recovery."

By rethinking how we approach time off, both individuals and organizations can unlock greater levels of performance, creativity, and satisfaction, ultimately fostering a sustainable and thriving work environment.