Why slowing down could boost your performance
Let’s face it—when the sun shines bright, inboxes quiet down, and half your clients set their out-of-office replies, the rhythm of work naturally shifts. For salespeople used to moving fast, staying sharp, and constantly closing deals, this slowdown can feel… unsettling. But what if this seasonal pause is exactly what you need to boost your sales performance?
Your brain needs a break
Sales is undeniably demanding. Targets, meetings, follow-ups, objections, KPIs—the list never ends. Like athletes who deliberately include rest days in their training, top sales performers benefit enormously from mental downtime.
When you slow down, your brain switches gears. You start noticing patterns and discovering new angles. Remember that tough pitch you’ve been wrestling with? The perfect solution might strike you in the middle of a leisurely beach walk or while grilling halloumi in your backyard.
Did you know?
- Researchers at the University of Illinois found short breaks from tasks can boost accuracy and productivity by up to 16%.
(University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 2011)
Strategic thinking thrives in quiet moments
Ever had an epiphany in the shower or on a long drive with nothing but your thoughts and music? That’s your brain thriving when it’s not overloaded.
Slower days offer the rare chance to step back. Revisit your customer journey, evaluate your messaging, and reassess your sales tactics. What’s truly working? What feels stale? Summertime is ideal for exploring these big-picture questions—and genuinely listening to the answers.
Here’s why it matters:
- A study in Thinking & Reasoning revealed people are 33% more likely to solve creative problems after stepping away from intense focus—the classic ‘incubation effect’.
(Sio & Ormerod, 2009)
Reflection fuels your growth
Here’s a simple yet impactful summer challenge: instead of pushing through every quiet week, schedule time to pause and reflect.
- What have I learned this year?
- How have I grown as a salesperson?
- What would I like to change moving forward?
Reflecting on these questions can yield more growth than sending another routine cold email ever will.
The numbers don’t lie:
- Harvard researchers found that employees who reflected for just 15 minutes daily performed 23% better after only ten days.
(Harvard Business School, 2014)
The bottom line
You don’t need to stay in overdrive 24/7 to excel in sales. In fact, giving yourself permission to slow down—just a bit—could unlock your next breakthrough. So go ahead: soak up the summer sun, enjoy that leisurely walk, dive into that book, or simply stare off into space.
You’re not slacking—you’re strategically recharging.
