How many breaks and rests do you allow yourself each day? Each week? Yes, actual breaks where you’re not doing any work.

Add to your business tips or productivity board https://www.pinterest.co.uk/pin/244320348521529475

Just like sleep is a natural healer for our whole body, so taking breaks are a natural way to boost our productivity in our business.

No matter how excited we may feel about our businesses, or each new project, a rich life also includes family, friends, exploration and adventure, in whatever proportion you desire.

Aytekin Tank, CEO JotForm, from Entrepreneur

How to create a schedule that allows you to give yourself a break

Well, first things first – you’re in charge! It’s your diary and your schedule, so you can create what you want. You’re also in charge of what you want to achieve and when you want to achieve it, so you create the schedule and time line for achieving your goals.

When you create your weekly and monthly schedule, how do you start?

I recommend to clients that you put your fixed times in first:

If you do the school run, block that time out in your diary, including your travelling time, so that’s fixed and can’t be used for anything else.

If you go to the gym, or do some form of exercise, write it in your diary so you can see when those time slots are. They’re fixed, they’re part of what you do each day and week to keep yourself healthy. They’re non-negotiable times when you’re not available for work.

If you have regular meetings, or networking groups you go to, add those in

Add your regular tasks in – are they daily, weekly, monthly? Add them at a fixed time, or add the chunks of time you need for each task at the slots which you want them that week.

THEN, add your breaks in.

The time just for you. You may choose to use this time for walking, or socialising, or taking a bath, or reading for fun.

You may feel this is counter-intuitive to put your breaks in before your other work and tasks you want to complete. But your diary is already looking quite full isn’t it? So if you don’t put your breaks in at this stage, then when will you make time to take a breath?

In his article, Aytekin Tank says, “Over the years, I’ve learned that busy and successful are not the same thing. Yet, many of us spend the whole day sprinting, to the point where we’re stressed and exhausted.” I agree.

I’ve had many a day when I’ve thought that being busy was the best thing for me and my business. It wasn’t. What I needed was a break. A rest. A change of scenery. I couldn’t see the next steps clearly as I was so tied up in doing, that I hadn’t taken a breath or stepped back from the work to look at if I was even doing a good job. Usually I wasn’t as I was so tired!

So now, I encourage my clients to work their diaries in the way I’ve suggested above. Put your fixed times in, then your breaks, then the rest of your tasks will fall into what’s left in your week. It’s very interesting doing it this way, as you’ll notice that you become clearer on what’s REALLY important to do this week. Some of those tasks you were doing become much less important for you to do when you take the time to step back, give yourself a break, and rest.

That rest and breathing and looking in to your business may see some different more effiicient ways of doing things, which will save even more time!

How do you fancy that?

If you need help working out what’s important for your business to achieve these next few weeks, and how you can afford to give yourself a break, book an explore call. I’d love to help you see more clearly too 🙂