“Hate” is such a strong word but it’s the one I use to describe my extreme dislike when faced with the notion of working on a weekend. And, I’m not alone! Few small business entrepreneurs look forward to passing their weekend with their head buried in their business. What’s wrong with this picture? (Cue the music!)
I’m the first to admit there are times you give up a bit of your weekend to clear your head or to get ahead. However, when conducting business on weekends occurs with regularity, something is out of sync.
We’re Not Alone
Should entrepreneurs work on their day off? More and more experts are talking about working at a pace that prevents burnout — which includes weekends off.
Tony Schwartz of The Energy Project states, “We’re at our best when we move between expending energy and intermittently renewing our four energy needs: physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual. When you’re intent on supplying fuel in each dimension of energy, you’re creating happier people that will affect your organization’s success.”
Arianna Huffington, President of Huffington Post, took on the challenge of redefining traditional measures of success — money and power — to include “The Third Metric” which includes well-being, wisdom, wonder, and giving. How did she come to this enlightened perspective? Arianna discovered this the hard way. After long, uninterrupted work hours and burnout, she fell asleep at her desk breaking several bones in her face.
With documented studies in hand, renowned Harvard researcher, Shawn Anchor, explains how happiness precedes success. When we’re happy, we’re more productive, more creative, and better at problem solving. Who could disagree with Shawn?
The Entrepreneurs Time Out
Rather than list the reasons we feel the need to spend a prized weekend “catching up” in our office, let’s take a practical approach to ensure our weekends are work-free.
- Say “no” more often without fear of repercussions
- Outline expectations upfront of your availability
- Get organized
- Set realistic and reasonable deadlines for deliverables
- Establish regular business hours
- Unplug from email after-hours and weekends
- Discover some fun hobbies and activities to fill your weekend
Ah, yes, sounds so easy, doesn’t it? Unfortunately, it’s not. Nothing worthwhile — like weekends free of business — is ever easy.
Have you mastered the off-switch for weekends work? How did you achieve it?
