Blog 303: Work Smart, Play Hard (and often)

Work Smart Play Hard (and often)

This month I’m writing about work-life balance starting today with how you should set up your week.

Have you ever opted to go to work instead of doing something fun and then sat at work miserable about it? “Had I known that this is all I’d get done today, I would have gone skiing.”

Probably not. You would have worked anyway. You use work as an excuse for why you can’t do the things you love, but you miss out on a lot of life because you’re disorganized and don’t get enough work done when you need to.

Have you ever opted to go have fun instead of doing something productive, and then the whole time you were on the ski hill, golf course, or garden, you constantly complained about how uncommitted you are to be a professional?

This is how I manage my week. I learned this from Dan Sullivan approximately fifty million years ago, and I have stuck to it.

Mondays are Buffer Days. I don’t schedule any client interactions. I tend to set up my week on Mondays and tidy up my week on Fridays. When I have to make an exception and talk to someone on a Monday, it’s not the end of the world. This structure helps with flexibility.

Having a nice buffer day on Monday always makes for a great weekend. I know I can check details, make hotel reservations on Monday and just enjoy a walk with my dog on Sunday.

Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday – Focus Days. I jam them full of calls, meetings, and when required, speaking engagements. These are heavy work days, and having that open Monday every week to help get prepared helps.

Friday. Free Day/Buffer Day. When it's ski season, there is an 80% chance that I’m skiing on a Friday. Similarly, there is a 100% chance I will be at the cabin during the summer. Sometimes, when I need that day for work, I use it, and it never causes me any emotional suffering.

Goals.

I speak 50 times a year.

I spend 50 days at my cabin.

I spend 30 days a year on skis.

Keep in mind I’m a Dad, my kids are 15 and 10, and I fly 140 times yearly for work.

Set your week up like I do start Jan 1st.