It is Fall outside, the leaves have fallen from the trees and nature is getting ready for winter. The season of production is over, short darks days are ahead. It is a time to hunker down, rest and renew for the coming year. Soon enough, Spring will be here and the growth cycle begins again.
Seasons in Business?
In business, we seem to believe there are only two seasons, prepare and produce. Our focus is growth, how can we achieve more? There will be a time to rest and renew in the future when we’ve been successful. Now we must focus on maximum output. The time for rest and renewal never quite arrives. As soon as we are done with one thing, it is on to the next. The never ending treadmill. Does this sound familiar?
Learning from Nature
We can learn a thing or two from nature. Its seasons are non-discretionary. Plants have a natural cycle of life and death, and perhaps we do too. Can we sustain top performance indefinitely? Top athletes muscles need time to recover from high performance levels. Our brain needs time to process during sleep. Ignoring these basic principles quickly leads to lowering performance. And yet in business we seem to believe we can ignore these limitations.
The alternative to and always on culture
I am very lucky working for myself and setting my own rules. Right now is pretty quiet, no major projects underway and a few individual clients instead. This is my opportunity to rest and renew. My time in Corporate America was all go. As soon as we were done with one thing, we were immediately behind in the next thing. Go, go, go. At the time I didn’t notice it but looking back it was unsustainable. Just like the times if pulling all-nighters. Was I at my best? I don’t think so.
What are your seasons? How are you balancing your production time with your recovery time? When are you investing in examining how things are working and how they can be improved? Or is it go, go, go with the gradual decline in performance?
Awesome lesson and reminder Andy. This is NOT easy. as you know, when you’re in the midst of a major corporate push. Well said. So, now the tough question for you: HOW do people in the midst of the rush achieve this? Practical advice please… 🙂 Randy