Let’s take a moment to celebrate.
Forbes just published a roundup of books for high performers who are running on fumes. Four books made the cut. Take Breaks, Work Better wasn’t just on the list… it took the number one spot!
We’re not surprised it’s resonating with so many entrepreneurs and executives. John Briggs wrote it because he was watching the same thing happen to the small business owners at his accounting firm, Incite Tax.
So let’s talk about why a book on rest ended up on a high performer reading list, and what it actually means for you.
The Problem With Being a High Performer
Nobody ever gets praised for pacing themselves. You get praised for the all-nighter, the client call you took on vacation, the fact that you answered an email at 11:47 pm. Somewhere along the way, exhaustion became proof that you were serious about your business.
The Forbes piece nailed the pattern. It doesn’t matter if you’re running a five-person shop or sitting in the C-suite of a massive company; if you don’t learn to manage your own performance, you will eventually crash. Not might. Will. It’s just a matter of when.
That’s the whole premise behind Take Breaks, Work Better. Rest isn’t the reward you get after you’ve earned it through suffering. Rest is part of how the work actually gets done well.
Why This Isn’t Another Rigid Productivity System
Most books like this hand you a strict routine and expect it to fit your life. They rarely actually fit.
Take Breaks, Work Better doesn’t do that. Your business isn’t the same as the one in the book. Your brain isn’t either.
It’s not a script… it’s a set of principles you can actually bend to fit your own situation. A solo founder juggling five roles will have a different application than an executive managing a team of twelve and drowning in meetings. But the same underlying principle applies. Build breaks into how you work, on purpose, instead of waiting until your body forces one on you.
Start Small: The Pit Stop Principle
Being a high performer was never supposed to mean running yourself into the ground. Take the break. Come back sharper. That’s the whole point.
You don’t have to overhaul your entire schedule to start feeling the difference. You just have to start somewhere small and consistent.
That’s exactly why we built the Pit Stop Principle. It’s a simple, free way to start working short, intentional breaks into your day without blowing up your calendar or to-do list.