Oh mist rolling in

Having a life outside work can make you better at work.

Remember the World Cup? It seems so long ago now, but watching the England team put together by the coach Thomas Tuchel highlighted some fantastic footballing talent away from the usual ‘superstars’.  For almost a month, we were gripped and hoped that football would be coming home.

It wasn’t to be, but for those few weeks, the country came together to talk about the competition, England’s chances, and the wonderful players that came to the fore.

God’s Own Manager

Well, the Premier League is back now, which also means I can focus on things outside of work – namely my favourite football team – Nottingham Forest – and how well my team are doing in the Fantasy Football league.

I've supported Forest from an early age, partly because they had the greatest manager ever, Brian Clough, who, like me, happened to be from God's Own Country: Yorkshire. Growing up, I can remember watching them and sharing in their success – particularly the two European Cups (now known as the UEFA Champions League), making Forest only one of six English teams to have lifted the trophy.

Last season, I enjoyed almost every home game, along with a few away matches, and I'm hoping to get to as many games as possible this season too.

So much so, that I've booked a season ticket for parking, which means I have a guaranteed space for every home game. It's a small thing, but it means I can leave a little later and don't have to drive around Nottingham desperately searching for somewhere to park.

The Premier League is back

And now that the new Premier League season is underway, I was back at the ‘World Famous City Ground’ (WFCG) (as Forest’s home ground is affectionately known) for the first home game of the season.

This is part of what I enjoy about it - it's something to look forward to.  I spend the week working for my retained clients and managing their HR needs and, at the weekend, I can take my mind off it all and spend time with around 30,000 other fans in the stands.

There is often a pressure, particularly in professional life, and especially for business owners, to be productive all the time.  We are encouraged to optimise our mornings, maximise our time, answer emails quickly, hit our targets, and stay on top of everything.  However, if this is all we did, it would be a static existence.

Side note: I am part of the 5am club, but that’s because Basil, my dog, will be waiting for his morning walk.

Downtime isn’t wasted time

Hobbies aren't a distraction from being productive.  In fact, they can be quite the opposite.  Switching off isn't something we should feel guilty about.  I enjoy the football and having something outside work that I genuinely enjoy gives me an opportunity to step away from the constant demands of work.

Another side note: for you, it might be running, gardening, going to the gym, reading, playing an instrument, painting, or simply meeting friends for a coffee - the activity itself isn't particularly important.  What matters is that it gives you a reason to switch off.

There is something good about having something to look forward to.

Home and away

On the first Saturday of the football season, I arrived at the WFCG and headed to the Fan Zone, where we watched Manchester United lose to newly promoted Hull City on the big screen – after which I headed into the stadium.

Forest were playing Leeds United, and I was looking forward to seeing how the team would perform, especially under the new manager Oliver Glasner (who also happens to be the inspiration behind the name of my Fantasy Football team: ‘Glasner’s Half Full’).

I was wearing the Forest away kit, which, in my entirely objective and completely unbiased opinion, is probably the most beautiful kit in the league – it’s dark green with a red Adidas trefoil and red stripes on the sleeves.

Walking into the stadium, I was reminded of the atmosphere.

The Mull of Kintyre

As always, before kick-off, the fans sang Mull of Kintyre with the famous, adapted opening line:

"City Ground, oh mist rolling in from the Trent...".  30,000 fans singing together (including me) creates a spectacular atmosphere.

For a couple of hours, the concerns of work, emails, meetings, and deadlines disappear.

However, the result wasn’t quite as relaxing.

It was a close game and either side could have won it.  Forest put in a solid performance, and there were plenty of positives to take from it.  But unfortunately, Leeds scored in the 88th minute, and the goal turned out to be the winner.

It wasn’t the result we had hoped for, but that’s football.  

In fact, this is also partly why outside interests matter and, in this case, why football matters. I love the anticipation, the enjoyment, and the excitement, but also the connection with a stadium full of fellow fans going through the same emotions

The workplace benefits

There is a wider lesson here for employers and employees.  When people have opportunities to properly switch off, they're more likely to return to work feeling refreshed rather than mentally drained.

Taking time away from work can help people maintain perspective, protect their wellbeing, and avoid the feeling that work has consumed every available hour.

As I often say, your people are your biggest asset, and studies have shown that happy employees are often the most productive too.  Someone who spends every waking hour thinking about work isn't necessarily producing their best work.

Sometimes the most productive thing you can do is step away – whether it’s football or the things I mentioned earlier like painting, reading or meeting friends – whatever works for you.

This means you too

As employers, we should recognise that our people have lives outside the workplace.  The things we do outside work can help us recharge, maintain relationships, reduce stress and come back to work with more energy and focus.

This goes for you too. As an employer, you should make time for the things you enjoy.

So, I'm going to try to get to as many Forest games as I can this season – both home and away.  Of course I’m hoping for plenty of wins, although there might be some questionable games too.  Either way, there will be plenty of singing and camaraderie in the stands, giving me some space for at least a couple of hours to watch my favourite football team on the pitch.

For me, it's not just about the football – it’s about having something in my diary that I can look forward to, and sometimes, that's exactly what we need.  Taking time away from work isn't the opposite of productivity – it can be part of it.

Get in touch

If you are an employer and are looking for HR support – whether it’s workplace culture, processes and procedures, or business growth – please get in touch and we will arrange an informal chat about how the AJB HR Consultancy Services team can support you and your organisation.

‍