To be more productive, take more time off

There are two ways to tackle a long-distance hike. You can do it as fast as possible, going all out every day, blasting along the trail without stopping until the end of each long day, and dropping into bed exhausted.

Or, you can take more time, perhaps a couple of extra days, and build regular breaks into the schedule so you can enjoy the scenery, eat, rest, and refresh yourself. The whole experience will be more fun and memorable.

Life is like this too, especially when it comes to how much time we spend working to exhaustion versus taking time off to recover and rejuvenate.

For most of us, we are typically told at a young age that to be most successful in our careers, we must work harder than everyone else. It’s drilled into us that the “time and effort” we expend will eventually be rewarded with income and status.

Over the last 20 years, however, our professions have shifted to a model where we are rewarded more for the results of our work—and less for the “time and effort” we put into it.

The challenge of shifting gears

Shifting into this different gear can be challenging if we are used to thinking that the harder and longer we work, the more our business will grow. With work styles built around long hours, doing everything ourselves, and that feeling of accomplishment after a 12 or 14-hour day or working over the weekend, we end up focusing more on the number of hours we work than on the quality of our work. It’s easy to fall into the trap of feeling like a hero because we put so many hours into our businesses.

Overtime and overwork, though, can often result in a decline in the quality of work and the ability to maintain focus. It also takes time away from other important parts of life such as our health, family, friends, and personal interests.

Anthropologists have long noted that tribal people in remote parts of the world have much more leisure time than modern Western working people like ourselves. They work hard in short bursts, but they also spend a lot of time just hanging out talking, laughing, playing with the kids, and feasting. Their verbal communication skills are often extremely well honed because they talk to each other face to face so much.

We can definitely take a page from these more relaxed lifestyles.

Keep results in the forefront

To be most efficient and effective, we need to keep “results” in the forefront, employing delegation and teamwork, and keeping ourselves extremely sharp.

One of the best ways to stay sharp is to schedule a sufficient amount of time away from work to look after all the other “stuff” in our lives. That includes staying healthy through exercise and diet, and visiting our doctor regularly for check-ups.

And it means spending time with our partner, children, family and friends; pursuing our most important personal goals and hobbies—and of course spending time relaxing!

Personally, after a great long weekend, or an excellent family trip, I usually come back to work refreshed and full of energy and creative ideas.

Build vacation days into your calendar

When owning a business, it takes some planning to ensure we have free time away from work. As a starting point, grab a 12-month calendar, and talk to your partner about what dates are ideal to book as time off from work. Try to block off at least a few vacation days every quarter.

And the final point: guard those days off like a hawk! It’s okay to exchange your planned vacation days for other dates if things come up—just don’t cancel them.

Next time you are feeling stressed and overworked, or it seems like nothing in your life is making sense, try taking a day off work. Plan that day for yourself, and see how much better the time off makes you feel!

In the event you need additional assistance in simplifying your life, we have developed a free report that identifies implementable tips that you can act on immediately to begin simplifying your life.  Visit www.simpleplanreport.com to download today!

Have a fantastic day and always remember to keep things simple!

Mark Landers is the creator of The Simple Plan Program and has been helping entrepreneurs simplify their lives for over 10 years.  He can be reached at Mark R. Landers, CFP CHS, The Northridge Financial Group Ltd. at 416.705.6640 or mark@nrfg.ca.