John Briggs: The Power of Rest for Higher Productivity

ICA | September 11, 2026

In this episode of Car Wash Exchange, Rich DiPaolo talks with John Briggs, author of Take Breaks, Work Better, about why taking intentional breaks can actually make business owners and employees more productive. John challenges the “hustle culture” mindset that equates long hours with productivity and explains how structured recovery can improve focus, profitability, employee retention and performance. He also shares his 3.3 Rule and practical ways car wash owners can apply the approach—from line workers to entrepreneurs and growing multi-location operations.

Key Takeaways:

Busy doesn’t always mean productive. John challenges the belief that working longer and harder automatically produces better results.
Breaks are a productivity strategy. The brain naturally cycles between focus and distraction, and intentional breaks allow people to return with greater focus.
The 3.3 Rule: Work for up to three hours, followed by a 30% recovery break.
Pay employees for their breaks. Research discussed in the episode found that additional break time did not reduce productivity—and providing paid breaks may help improve retention.
Take the first break yourself. John encourages owners to schedule a real break during the day rather than waiting until everything on the to-do list is finished.
Audit your time. Track what you're actually doing and identify lower-level tasks that can be delegated, freeing owners and key employees to focus on higher-value work.
Measure outcomes, not just activity. For car washes, metrics such as memberships, membership close rates, errors and employee retention may be more meaningful than simply measuring cars per hour.
Deadlines create focus. “All human performance works to a deadline.” Creating intentional limits around work time can help people focus on what really needs to get done.
The approach can work during growth. John says the process works whether a company has 20 employees or 290 because the human brain still needs recovery.
Try it as an experiment. Owners who are skeptical can start with a pilot program and measure the results.