Jason Fried and David Heinemeier Hansson, co-founders of 37signals, advocate for taking extended breaks from work, as outlined in their book "It Doesn't Have to Be Crazy at Work." While this practice is relatively common in many parts of the world, it's less common in North America.

In this episode of Rework, host Kimberly Rhodes is joined by Jeff Hardy, a programmer at 37signals, as he shares his experience taking a one-month sabbatical and discusses the benefits of stepping away from work to refresh your mind.

Tune in as Jeff offers advice on establishing boundaries and disconnecting from work while on vacation to maintain a healthy work-life balance and tips for smoothly transitioning back into work after an extended absence.

Show Notes: 

[00:47] - Jeff introduces himself and how his role in product development at 37signals has evolved over the last 15 years. 

[01:29] - Jeff shares why you need to be in the right mindset to avoid burnout and remain effective in your work.

[04:02] - Learn from Jeff as he shares effective strategies to disconnect from work and fully embrace your sabbatical with these helpful tips.

[06:07] - The two outcomes of extended time away from work.  

[06:52] - Why Jeff ended his sabbatical during a meetup. 

[07:59] - Jeff reveals the transformative power of taking a break and how it can lead to a profound shift in your perspective

[09:54] - The key to understanding (and accepting) that you are not that important.  

[10:56] - The importance of perspective: learn to see your job is just a portion of your life, not your whole life. 

[12:33] - Jeff shares his tips for effectively utilizing vacation time to disconnect from work and refresh your mind.

[13:46] - The ingredients you need for a successful work story. 

[15:04] - Discover how taking a sabbatical can provide a much-needed break without a complete disconnect.

[15:40] - Jeff shares his key takeaways from his sabbatical and the lessons he learned about himself and his job. 

[17:35] - Do you have a question for Jason and David or anyone at 37signals? Leave us a voicemail at 708-628-7850, and we might answer it on an upcoming show. 

Links and Resources:

Do you have a question for Jason and David? Leave us a voicemail at 708-628-7850
It Doesn’t Have to Be Crazy at Work 

HEY World | HEY 

Dev.37signals
Sign Up for 30-day FREE trial at Basecamp.com

37signals on YouTube
The REWORK podcast

The 37signals Dev Blog

@reworkpodcast on Twitter

@37signals on Twitter