The Radical Secret for More Productivity at Work and More Enjoyment Away from Work

February 6, 2019
Category: Be a Highly Effective Owner,Live a Happy, Balanced Life,Techniques and Solutions,Time Management

Would you like more energy and productivity at work, better relationships, and more enjoyment away from work? Who wouldn’t right? Well, I want to share a radical secret that can improve your life in all of these ways and many more. No, it’s not one of those miracle supplements that you see on the TV infomercials. And no, for the record, these claims haven’t been tested by the FDA. But trust me this secret really works.

What is this radical secret?

Leave your work at work!

That’s your radical secret, Bill? That’s all you got? The reason that I say that this is a radical secret is that so few owners do it! My informal survey of owners suggests that around 75% have trouble leaving work at work consistently.

I know, that leaving work at work is a challenge. After all this is your business we’re talking about and your business needs you, right? And with cell phones, the internet and your laptop, it’s hard to disconnect when you leave work at the end of the day.

There are costs to not leaving work at work.

Studies show that your productivity declines after working 50 hours in a week and declines dramatically after 55 hours—so much so that, according to a Stanford University study, someone who puts in 70 hours produces nothing more with those extra 15 hours, So, if you’re routinely working at home at night and on the weekends, you’re probably not being very productive. You may even end up doing more harm than good, because taking work home consistently can also lead to mental and physical burn out which can reduce your productivity when you are at work.

There’s also a second, and possibly more important, cost to not leaving work at work.  When you’re constantly thinking about work, checking e-mail, and taking work phone calls, you’re neglecting your family and friends and this may damage these important relationships beyond repair. I had a client tell me once that “My family is more forgiving than my work.”  Maybe, but do you really want to take that chance?

Ok Bill, I’m convinced that I should leave work at work, but how I do it?

I won’t lie to you, leaving work at work, isn’t always easy and will take some discipline and practice on your part. Below are some tips to make it easier for you to consistently disconnect from work at the end of the day so that you can relax, recharge, enjoy your family and friends and be productive at work the next day.

Fix the problems that make it difficult for you to leave your work at work

One big reason that you can’t leave work at work at the end of the day is that you don’t get enough of your work done while you’re at work. Here are two things you can do get more work done at work.

1. Eliminate the problems and fires that suck up your day. Problems and fires are one of the major time sucks in your business. If you fix the things that are broken in your business, you’ll have fewer interruptions and more time for the work you need to do. For many businesses, there are a few recurring problems that eat up 80% of your time. Solving these problems can free up a significant amount of your time and reduce your stress and frustration in the process.
2. Schedule dedicated time in your calendar to get your work done. Now that you have freed up some time, schedule regular weekly blocks of time in your calendar to do your most important owner job responsibilities. Experience shows that freeing up time is not a guarantee that you will use it productively. Other urgent but non-important tasks will keep competing for your attention. So, protect this time like a guard dog and use it productively so that you don’t have to take your work home.

Turn off your work brain at the end of the day

One of the challenges with leaving work at work is that your work brain just keeps kicking around the issues, challenges and things that you still need to when you’re away from work. So here are a few techniques that you can use to leave your work thoughts behind at the end of the day so that you can be focused and present when you’re away from work.

1. Wind down your work day before you leave. Create tomorrows to do list with action steps before you leave for the day. This gives you to have a game plan for the next day so you don’t have to worry about it all night. Creating tomorrows to do list will not only help you leave your work brain at work, but research also shows that it will help you sleep better so that you’ll be recharged for the next day!
2. Create a transition from work to home: At the end of every day, give yourself permission to leave work at work. That may sound strange, but it tells your work brain that you’re off duty now. Then say goodbye to your team so that they know you’re leaving and won’t be looking for you after you’ve left.

Once you’ve left work, it helps to have some kind of transition activity (e.g. Workout, go for a walk, listen to books on tape on your drive home, take a shower, change into your home clothes) that marks the end of the work day and the beginning of your home day. This helps you to gradually turn off your work brain and relax into your time away from work. If you work from home, create an agreement with your family that you need some time to unwind before being fully present at home.

Finally, consider learning how to meditate. Meditation is not only is a great way to relax, but meditation also teaches you how to let random thoughts go (such as the work thoughts that occupy your brain when you’re at home) so that you can be present with your family and friends and more fully enjoy your time away from work.

Disconnect from work

Disconnecting from work may be the hardest part of leaving work at work. With your cell phone and your laptop, its so easy for you to check your emails, answer calls and bring work home. It takes discipline to disconnect! Here are 4 ideas to make it easier:

1. Create an agreement with your team. Create a formal agreement with your team that they should not call or email you after work unless it’s an emergency. And you promise to do the same. This will keep your interruptions to a minimum.
2. Don’t check your phone or computer. Except for emergencies there should be no reason for you to continuously check for messages. Putting your phone and computer to bed so that you be present during your time off. This will feel very awkward at first, but it is one of the best ways to re-energize for the next work day.
3. Keep your discussions about work to a minimum. Away from work, resist the temptation to rehash every annoyance or major problem with your family or friends. Spending too much time rehashing your problems will not only add to your stress and steal your home time, but it will probably bore your family and friends
4. Honor your commitments at home. Whatever you do, if you say you’re going to do something with your family, your friends or for yourself, honor those commitments like they were written in stone.

Leaving work at work takes discipline, but its worth it!

As you can see from the tips that I’ve laid out in this article, leaving work at work will take some problem-solving planning, effort and discipline on your part to achieve. You have to want to do it and keep working at it until it becomes your natural way of doing things. But the benefits will be great. Leaving your work at work can truly help you have a happier life! You’ll be more relaxed, enjoy your family, friends and time away from work more and be more energetic and productive when you are at work. I think that’s worth the effort, don’t you?

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