Mental Framework for Work/Life Integration

Use a Framework to Manage and Measure

Running a small company can be mentally and physically draining. Remember: You chose this challenge; you get to do this.

Many entrepreneurs complain of continuous and often circular thinking, cognitive dissonance, and ongoing communication. If it's not employees’ or customers ’ voices, it's the one in your head that’s nonstop. Let me tell you this: It’s unhealthy and won’t bring success. It’ll bring heartburn, high blood pressure, and stress. The best way to control this is to create balance by doing something else with focus. So what’s that?

Step back. Create a framework for your life. I often like to ask, “Which hat are you wearing?” Answering this allows you to create a bit of detachment from the company. For someone with a family, these variables may be work, health, family, and one extracurricular activity. For someone without, it may be work, health, learning activity, and extracurricular. 

Once you set the variables, adjust each’s priority or impact. Consider the time you want to wear the hat each day or week. Some weeks, you may want to wear the work hat 6-70 hours/week, while at other times, you may wear it for a standard 40-hour week. Due to a customer release, venture pitches, or other urgent deadlines, you may have to up your hours. After that burst, you may want to give yourself some respite and recovery time. What’s important here is that you quantify the hours you dedicate to each. Keep a spreadsheet or journal so you have a rough idea, then adjust from week to week.

As you think through this, consider the period you will wear these hats, like three months/one quarter. As the priority of your hats may change from week to week, your hats (think wardrobe) may change every quarter because of company priorities, health changes, or family issues. I suggest reviewing the wardrobe every three or six months.

I often hear one problem: The mind never stops about work. I’m always thinking. Let’s not discuss this problem today. I’ll explore that in follow-ups.

Last, take a break every quarter. Bill Gates talks about how he takes two weeks/year to read books. Jocko Wilink takes almost a month off every year to hunt, read, and write. I suggest taking a five-day vacation every quarter. This will reset your brain, teach you something, and help you come back even stronger. Instead of that, take a few extra three-day weekends. The time off will help you think, relax, and rekindle your drive.

This weekend, take some time to think through this and how you can better manage and measure your load using this framework. More soon.

Thanks, 

KD

My Sherpa on Everest carrying the load.