Churchill, Bricks, Burnout … and Why “Doing Nothing” Might Be the Worst Advice Ever
As it turns out, one of history’s greatest leaders may also have been one of the first accidental workplace psychologists. When Winston Churchill’s famous “Black Dog” of depression came calling, he didn’t disappear into a wellness retreat, download a mindfulness app, or block his calendar for “strategic reflection.” He laid bricks..... Hundreds of them!
In fact, Churchill became so obsessed with bricklaying that he joined the bricklayers’ union and spent hours building walls at Chartwell. In a Strand Magazine article back in 1921, he wrote something remarkably insightful: “People who think for a living can’t fix a tired brain by resting it.” Nearly 75 years later, psychology finally caught up.
Modern research into “Behavioral Activation” confirmed what Churchill had worked out with a trowel and a pile of bricks. A 2014 review covering more than 1,500 patients across 26 studies found that purposeful activity can be one of the most effective treatments for depression. (LinkedIn)
The logic is surprisingly simple. When your brain is exhausted from spreadsheets, strategy decks, transformation plans, budget reviews, AI roadmaps, stakeholder politics, and that one meeting that could have been an email… the answer isn’t always more sitting down. Sometimes the answer is doing something completely different. You've heard me talk about Work / Energy Balance and providing a different perspective, so finding something that keeps the brain and hands busy is where I go.
So, build a wall. Paint a picture. Mow the lawn. Fix a shelf. Cook something. Walk the dog. Anything that forces your hands to solve a problem instead of your head. This might explain why so many GBS and corporate leaders suddenly become gardeners, golfers, DIY experts, or strangely passionate about pressure washing driveways.
It’s not a midlife crisis. It’s neurological maintenance, and Churchill knew it a century ago.
Sometimes the fastest way to clear your mind… is to pick up a brick.
