Working less to get more done sounds fake… until it works.
When John Briggs started his firm, he followed the path most entrepreneurs do; long hours, endless tasks, and the kind of burnout that turns your brain to mush. His days blurred together, he rarely saw his kids, and the stress was crushing.
It wasn’t until a few accidents of timing and hiring forced him to slow down that he noticed something wild. When he worked less and took intentional breaks, everything got better. The rest actually resulted in increased productivity.
Brent’s Wake-Up Call
Brent was one of the best employees on the team. Smart. Dedicated. Great with clients. But after a tough season balancing work and life with a new baby at home, he quit. Not because his hours were outrageous—at Incite, he was working fewer than ever—but because years in the accounting industry had conditioned him to believe that working in the field meant sacrificing family.
Even though he wasn’t being overworked anymore, the trauma of his past roles made it hard to believe there was another way. His story became the emotional fuel behind Take Breaks, Work Better.
When the Result is Unintentionally Upped Productivity
As John’s firm grew, he had the opportunity to hire two incredible accountants at once. More than he technically needed, but something amazing happened. With the workload spread out, everyone had breathing room. No one was staying late or sacrificing their health, and yet the work was getting done. Not just done, but done better.
That unintentional experiment became the foundation for the 3.3 Rule:
Up to 3 hours of focused work, followed by a 30% recovery period.
Turns out, rest isn’t just good for your well-being, it’s rocket fuel for productivity.
How the Science Backs It Up
So, how do rest and productivity scientifically correlate?
John’s big breakthrough wasn’t just a lucky accident; it turns out science had his back the whole time. Studies show that most people only have about 3 hours of true focus in them each day. The rest of the time is spent battling distractions, sugar crashes, and inbox overwhelm.
Research from DeskTime found the top 10% of most productive employees worked in focused 52-minute sprints followed by 17-minute breaks… almost exactly the 3.3 rhythm. And a University of Illinois study showed that brief diversions during long tasks can actually increase focus and performance.
When John unintentionally spread out the workload and gave his team space for breaks, it mirrored what science already knew: our brains aren’t wired for nonstop output.
The 3.3 Rule is not just a productivity hack; it’s how humans actually operate at their best.
Real Results, Not Just Fluff
Since implementing the 3.3 Rule at Incite, CPAs now average 42 hours per week during tax season. That’s a full 13 hours less than the industry standard, and results have only improved. Better client retention, higher quality work, lower team turnover.
The time seemingly lost to breaks actually creates the space for people to think critically, avoid mistakes, and perform at their best.
Not Just for Accounting
This isn’t just a CPA thing. Every business has the potential to operate better when it respects human energy cycles.
- Less stress = healthier teams
- More rest = higher performance
- Better focus = better results
Let’s Redefine Hard Work
Hard work doesn’t have to mean constant hustle. The success stories behind the 3.3 Rule prove that when we prioritize recovery, we create space for better outcomes, both in business and life.
If your business depends on people (and let’s be real, it does), then their ability to rest directly impacts your bottom line.
Start creating your own success story by taking a break.