My girlfriend texted to ask me if I wanted to go for a walk first thing in the morning on a day I had childcare and lots to do.

“I don’t have time,” was the first thought that popped into my head.

But then I remembered that I wrote a book about doing less, and even though I and everyone else in our culture have been programmed to believe that the way to get more done is to pack as much work time into our days as possible, the evidence-based truth is the opposite.

So I went for the walk, even though I was tempted to cancel because my little gremlin mind told me walking with a girlfriend would mean I wouldn’t get the things done I needed to do.

You know what?

I came home feeling refreshed and energized. The fresh air, combined with my friend’s whip-smart insights on life, set me up beautifully for a focused, engaged day.

I sat down at my desk feeling vibrant and I got what I needed to do done with zero issues, feeling grateful I’d taken the time to connect with someone and move my body.

Here’s the thing:

Packing as much as we can into our days is not the way to get more done.

Taking strategic, well-timed breaks is.

If you’re looking to increase your productivity (and also to unhook yourself from the cycle of thinking that how much you do equates to how much you’re worth) then you’re going to love today’s video.

In it you’ll learn:

• How to access a readily available blueprint that will tell you precisely when to take a break
• How to make your rest optimally restorative so that you get more bang for your “rest buck”
• How to ensure your working hours are as productive as possible and minimize spaced-out and unfocused time

When you rest strategically, you actually get a deeper renewal in a quicker amount of time, and you get more productive. @katenorthrup (Click to Tweet!)

Now I want to hear from you: How do you schedule breaks throughout your day, week, month, and year? What resonated the most from this video and how will you put it into action? Leave a comment and let me know!

Kate Northrup is an entrepreneur, bestselling author, and mother who supports ambitious, motivated and successful women to light up the world without burning themselves out in the process. Committed to empowering women entrepreneurs to create their most successful businesses while navigating motherhood, Kate is the founder and CEO of Origin Collective, a monthly membership site where women all over the world gather to achieve more while doing less. Her first book, Money: A Love Story, has been published in 5 languages. Kate’s work has been featured by The Today Show, Yahoo! Finance, Women’s Health, Glamour, and The Huffington Post, and she’s spoken to audiences of thousands with Hay House, Wanderlust, USANA Health Sciences, and more. Kate lives with her husband and business partner, Mike, and their daughter Penelope in Maine. Find out more and receive your free copy of the 5 Simple and effective ways to get the results you want in your business at katenorthrup.com.

Image courtesy of Roberto Nickson.