How to Recharge When You’re In-Charge
The first quarter of 2018 has been and gone.
- Have you accomplished everything you set out to do?
- Are you where you thought you would be?
In business and in life, it is important to take a break away from the day to day activities at least once every quarter so that you can refocus.. In order to be productive and create the results you are looking for, you need to be well organized and disciplined on what drives both performance and results.
I don’t know about you, but I went hard at it from January through to March. I worked six days a week and put in 10-hour days to get things done. That’s what entrepreneurs do right? They go full bore with a sense of clarity and focus, striving to cross that end goal line that somehow seems to move forward just as fast as they are.
Like most everyone else, somewhere during those three months, my clarity and focus seemed to have become a bit vague and lacking of substance. Now that the quarter has passed, I know that it is just the opportunity to take some time out to do a bit of self-reflecting. This is a critical exercise for successful business owners and if you get in the habit of doing it, the rewards will really pay off.
- Step away from the daily grind
- Rest
- Reflect on what is working and what isn’t
- Recognize your accomplishments
- Understand your areas for improvement
“I make it a point to stop and reflect
at least four times a year.”
I make it a point to stop and reflect at least four times a year. That means stepping away from it all, going somewhere quite (like my acreage), getting caught up on some much-needed rest, and letting my mind quiet down. The secret about being productive and staying in the zone is to take frequent breaks out of the zone.
Take yourself out of the chaos. Focus on the big picture. Get clarity. You will be surprised how much has changed over the past three months. Things that were once important to you, might not be now. Things that you might have learned along the way, may change how you should proceed going forward.
A key lesson that I teach my students is called, “The Power of Compounding Profit”. It has a lot to do with implementing quarterly reviews or check-stops, as I call them. The earlier on in the year that you catch yourself misaligned with where you want to be, the quicker and less costly the corrections will be to get you back on track.
When taking a break, it is important to allow both your mind and body enough time to unwind. Have you ever experienced going on a holiday and all you can think of for the first few days is work? It’s only after those first few days that you can finally let go and enjoy your holiday. Give yourself the permission to unwind and enjoy this time. Then as your vacation comes to a close, you’ll find that your mind will start to wind back up again, thinking about all the things you have to do when you get in the office. Rather than stressing about those things, wouldn’t it be nice to come back with a sense of clarity and focus?
Use your vacation to do some self-reflection. Revisit your goals and where you are on your RoadMap to getting yourself there. Be honest with yourself during this exercise and be vulnerable to find the root of any key challenges and opportunities in front of you. Ask yourself this:
- Have you been working towards your goals using all your best efforts?
- Did you get distracted by the “little things” or the “shiny objects” along the way?
- Are there ways that you can make improvements?
- Have you been efficient with your time?
- Are you in control or are others controlling you?
Don’t just focus on the new opportunities in front of you. I challenge you to focus on those areas where you have not been performing as well as you should have been. Correct any errors that have now come to your attention. Look specifically on areas of performance. Performance can be affected by a lot of things including your attitude, your health, lack of sleep, too much TV, lack of delegation, how well you communicate to others or even a lack of visibility on where you truly are in your road to success.
When doing this quarterly check-stop, remember to keep it simple; less is more and less brings clarity and focus. Align yourself with two to three specific measurable goals going forward that will drive performance and results. Be honest with yourself as to how important they are to achieve them. If they are important enough, then the “how” will fall into place.
My 1st quarter time off is booked. How about yours?
Here’s to a productive and successful next three months. Remember, if you need an accountability buddy to help keep you focused on the goals in front of you, you know how to reach me. I am here for you!
Now get out there and get it done!