Do Less to Do It Better
Why Stepping Back Is Often the Most Productive Move You Can Make
We’re in the heart of summer, and for the first time in a long time, I’m taking two full weeks off work. The first week? Pure staycation. The second? Family travel.
I’ll start by saying I’m incredibly privileged to be able to take this kind of break, especially in a time when so many creative professionals are looking for work. I don’t take that for granted. This time off is a combination of Adobe giving us the week of July 4th off every year (thanks, Adobe!) and me misreading my wife’s calendar and accidentally taking the wrong vacation week.
I didn’t correct it.
I just rolled with it.
And now I’m grateful I did.
But it’s also got me thinking about something I’ve wanted to write for a while: the value of rest, not as a luxury, but as a necessary part of doing great creative work.
The Trap of Overworking
In times of instability, the instinct is to grind harder.
Layoffs? I’ll outwork the problem.
Tough projects? I’ll just put in more hours.
The logic is simple: more hours = more output = more job security.
But the creative brain doesn’t work like that. We’re not machines that perform better the longer we’re powered on. In fact, quite the opposite.
Multiple studies back this up. Research from the University of California, San Francisco, shows that rest is essential for memory consolidation and creative insight. And a 2012 study published in Psychological Science found that people who took breaks were significantly more likely to solve complex problems creatively than those who didn’t.
Rest is not a luxury. It’s a strategy.
Why You Need to Get Away (Literally)
When you're deep in it and grinding through your workday (responding to constant pings, checking items off your list) you’re not thinking big picture. You’re not solving the root problems. You’re just putting out fires and on a good day moving pixels around.
The only way I know how to get out of that loop is to step away.
My method is walking. I figured out my entire career path on a walk. I came up with the idea for this newsletter on a walk. I’m literally writing this newsletter while walking (I always transcribe my first pass at these newsletters and I’m always on the move when I do it.)
Walking forces me away from the screen. It opens up space in my brain. I aim for 20,000 steps a day when I’m on break. Some walking, some running, but always moving and always thinking.
That physical movement creates mental movement too. And also burns calories because I eat all the things when I’m vacationing.
Breaks Create Perspective
When you step away from your day-to-day, a few really important things happen:
You can re-evaluate your direction.
Are the things you’re doing every day aligned with where you actually want to go? That kind of clarity doesn’t come when you’re buried in tasks. It comes from distance.You remember the world goes on without you.
This sounds harsh, but it’s actually freeing. Your company, your team, your projects…they all keep going. You are not irreplaceable, and that’s okay. Your value isn’t in being indispensable. It’s in being reliable and enjoyable to work with.If you're a leader, your team needs to see you rest.
The best way to encourage your team to take care of themselves is to model it. If you tell them to unplug but you’re still replying to Slack while "on vacation," you’re setting the wrong example. I want my team to be rested, creative, and whole, and the only way that happens is if I show them it’s safe to step away. (Is this me patting myself on the back by not working…of course it is!)
The Joy of Not Being Needed
Here’s something unexpected: I left my work notifications on my phone by mistake.
Not because I want to keep tabs on everyone at work, but because I love seeing the things I don’t have to do. That meeting alert? Not for me. That message? Someone else has it covered. It motivates me to take advantage of the time to do something that’s just for me in that moment.
It’s a simple, weirdly satisfying reminder that it’s okay to not be needed for a bit. That the team is strong. That I can rest.
And when I come back? I come back energized!
This Is the Work Too
We often remember the big moments. The ones that stand out from the routine. But when we never step away, every day blurs into the next. We lose that contrast. We lose that spark.
Rest isn’t separate from your work, it’s part of it. It’s the pause that lets you return with a clearer head, a sharper perspective, and, if we’re being honest, just a better attitude.
So this week, I’m walking more. Resting more. Thinking long-term. Spending time with my kids. Recharging.
And I hope you’re able to find some space to do the same, because the best ideas don’t come when you’re staring at your screen.
They show up when you finally look away.
The 3D Artist Community Updates
3D Merch is here and we have a new hoodie!
3D Job Spreadsheet
Link to Google Doc With A TON of Jobs in Animation (not operated by me)
Hello! Michael Tanzillo here. I am the Head of Technical Artists with the Substance 3D team at Adobe. Previously, I was a Senior Artist on animated films at Blue Sky Studios/Disney with credits including three Ice Age movies, two Rios, Peanuts, Ferdinand, Spies in Disguise, and Epic.
In addition to his work as an artist, I am the Co-Author of the book Lighting for Animation: The Visual Art of Storytelling and the Co-Founder of The Academy of Animated Art, an online school that has helped hundreds of artists around the world begin careers in Animation, Visual Effects, and Digital Imaging. I also created The 3D Artist Community on Skool and this newsletter.
www.michaeltanzillo.com
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