I’m part of a coaching program for successful entrepreneurs that relentlessly encourages, recommends, cajoles and insists that we take free days. A free day is defined as 24 hours (midnight to midnight) in which absolutely no work is done. There is to be no checking of email, returning voicemails, sending texts, planning, organizing, cleaning up that one little project, reading a business book, or thinking about work. Period. Nada. Nothing. Cold turkey!
The result promised is clarity of mind, higher productivity, and greater creativity. I suspect that if one could do this on a regular basis (they recommend 100 days per year as a goal) – one’s social and family life might reap some benefits as well.
Taking a “true” free day (without cheating) might rank high on the list of all the tough things I’ve done in my life. I admit, I’ve often, in the middle of our family beach vacation, flown across the country mid-week to work, breaking the vacation into two long weekends. I check email at least once a day, 365 days a year – and it is only on major holidays that the frequency is under 2 to 3 times per day. I always have a business book (or two) ready for any down time that might pop into my days. And I’m continually mulling over new ideas, old problems, and work in general.
I took my first really “free” day on a Sunday six months ago and it was great fun. I didn’t do work, think about work or sneak peeks at email. However, when I arrived in the office on Monday morning I was disoriented and disconnected. I had lost track of my “to do” list, had not mentally prepared for the week ahead. Felt like I was walking into my week blind. I was out of my normal routine of being “on” all the time. Turning “off” was fine, but the reentry to “on” was really quite rocky.
None the less, I persevered. You may laugh, but this has been really hard for me. My initial goal was one day per week, typically Sunday. It’s been hard. I’ve had to work at it. I’ve learned to close out on Saturday better, so that I can hit the ground running on Monday. I’ve gotten comfortable with the notion that emails sent on Sunday can easily wait till Monday. I’m even OK with waiting to plan out my week in detail till Monday morning.
I hit a milestone for Free Days over Memorial Day weekend. I took 3 days in a row as free days. Quite honestly, it may be the most days in a row I’ve totally checked out from work. I gardened, read novels, played with my granddaughter, shopped, watched movies, cooked out, biked, ran and walked. I sat lazily on our front porch. In summary – I did whatever I wanted to do, whenever I wanted to do it, for 3 whole days.
Hate to admit it, but the coach folks were right. I’ve had an amazing burst of energy. Work is flowing. An 11 hour day on Monday felt like 6. I have a different perspective on problems that were dogging me. I think I may have to make this a habit.
Next challenge: can I truly make vacation in August a series of 7 free days in a row? Stay tuned!
