Why is it we all look forward so much to weekends and vacations? Even the opportunity to take a business trip or attend a course of instruction can be enough to set our pulses racing. Could it be that we enjoy a greater measure of freedom?

Why is the Monday morning syndrome, or returning from a vacation, so difficult? We are not against working, or making an effort, or opposed to the idea that we can be valuable to others. Some will even sacrifice their free time in order to serve others better.

But weekends and vacations give us something we all need - unstructured, rejuvenating time. With such time behind us, we're able to re-apply ourselves with renewed energies and focus. Our productivity and contribution to the organization rise - measurably. We know this to be true.

Those who elect not to take time out, either by the day, the week or even annually, will experience a fall in productivity. Yet they'll continue to engage themselves without benefit of a break. It's possible that they are simply comfortable performing at a lower level, but for a more extended period of time.

The productivity curve is not linear though, it's exponential. Real breakthroughs will appear only in the ninety to ninety-five percent bracket - or higher. To achieve performance levels in this range, our personal batteries must be recharged.

My suspicion is that our personal batteries are not generic, one set serving all purposes. Rather they are specific - closely identified with particular functions. Similarly, our batteries are not charged by physical activity alone, but need input from emotional, intellectual and spiritual sources. A good night's sleep alone won't cut it. Recharging is a complex process.

The conclusion is this - if we want to improve our contribution, move beyond our current levels and limitations, and attain results beyond any we have even dreamed of thus far, we need to take significant time out. This may seem to be counter-intuitive at first sight.

Over time we can sustain a good and consistent level of performance, this is true. To achieve a breakthrough though, we must apply a sudden, intense burst of effort. The drain on our batteries is different but the energies come from the same source. So we need to keep our batteries fully charged.

The preferred way to do this is to do something entirely different from the normal routine. Take time away from work regularly. By this I mean far away and for as long as you can. Do something entirely different with no recourse to work activities. This means you do not check the office or your e-mail while you're away doing other things. What you need is freedom, freedom of the unqualified variety.

So, what does all this mean? Think about how you are using your time! Time is the universal commodity. Package it in 'watertight' bundles and use it with an eye to full value for all you spend. It's the only thing that's really yours to give, and it's definitely finite. Learn to use it as well as you can.

At some future point you may be saying, "I just wish I had...."