Relax and unplug to increase productivity
By Richard Jeffries and Dr. Tanya Brown
You know who you are. You are the most critical component in your business. You are often known as "the little engine that could." You take care of the bills. When the bank has concerns, you are the one they call. When pieces of equipment break and need to be replaced, you are the one who has to write the check. Being conscientious, you are often the last one to get paid, the last one to go home, the one who comes in for emergencies at night and on the weekends, and unfortunately, you can be the last person in your office to take a real, extended vacation.
Business owners are considered “entrepreneurs and successful people.” Having said that, we often forget how extremely difficult it can be not only to start a business, but to keep it running smoothly on a daily basis. Many successful business owners spend almost all of their time on business issues, leaving little time for family and friends or personal relaxation. Over time this can lead to unhappiness and imbalance. These feelings can result in poor decision making not only in your professional life, but also in your personal life. A dear friend of mine recently completely “unplugged” from the world and spent three weeks hiking, rafting, and relaxing. She came back refreshed and recharged with a renewed sense of direction, and actually became more productive in her business.
Modern technology, particularly smart phones and the Internet, have made it even harder to enjoy down time. We are just beginning to understand how truly connected we are to these small electronic devices. Though in theory these devices make our businesses and lives more efficient, in reality they make it almost impossible for a business owner to find necessary down time. Too many of us check our smart phone before we check on our spouse, who is lying in bed next to us when we wake up in the morning. Think about that for a moment! Setting boundaries, such as turning our phones off during certain times, such as family time, can make all the difference. Whether it’s a spouse or children, the message we send when we never turn off our phones is that whoever is on the other end of the phone is more important than they are.
As ridiculous as this may sound, another way many business owners make sure that they spend time with their loved ones is to block schedule. Specifically, just as one schedules professional appointments in the course of doing business, one can schedule specific times during each day, week, month, and year for the family. One way to do this is to book your personal calendar first and build the work-related activities and commitments around that. As much as possible, do the personal scheduling well in advance, i.e., date night, kid’s school functions and sporting events, etc. The business owners who do not follow this method find that business takes up all their time. Thus the very folks that we work so hard for get very little of our time.
At the end of the game of life, the physical, mental, and emotional health of you, the business owner, is at stake. We should make time for what we truly want, and for whom we really want to be with. Make time for you, and you will be more productive!
Richard Jeffries, CEO of Absolute Business Consultants, uses his experience in the corporate business world to help clients start or grow their businesses. He works with business owners that want to improve their productivity and profitability. Contact Richard at [email protected] or 757-739-1988 to start decreasing your stress & improving your bottom line!
Dr. Tanya Brown, a leader in dentistry and dental management, founded The Center for Cosmetic & Restorative Dentistry in 2001. She works with dentists and dental teams who want to improve patient care, increase their performance, and decrease stress. Dr. Brown will reignite your passion for dentistry, your practice, and your life. She can be reached at [email protected] or 757-285-2833.