Google's 20 Percent Rule

Google has a program that allows engineers to spend 20% of their time working on whatever they want. In reality, 20% time is more like 120% time, since it often occurs on nights and weekends.

This program is great because:

• People get the chance to work on stuff they aren't supposed to work on
• People usually try new things, outside of what they do on a day-to-day basis, and so they learn new things and skills
• Even if this program rarely spawns great products, it always fosters creativity and yields smarter people