In my spare time I run long distances … very long distances. I am an endurance athlete who has completed 100-mile runs and even a double Iron Man that took almost two days of non-stop physical and mental effort. I recently found this article by Jeff Gundersen that pretty much summarizes why I do these crazy events. In training and enduring these incredible challenges, I have built a personal regiment that has helped me and my business survive these difficult times.
I like Gundersen’s 5 point “Endurance best practices” (below) and added a few of my own afterwards.
1. Take an Endurance assessment. Check your endurance levels and create an action plan where you need energy the most. Want more endurance? Stop doing what drags you down. Plan for eliminating the “tolerations” in the following areas; business, personal, finance, health and well-being, and relationships. This could include questions, such as; What is keeping me up at night? When do I schedule time away from my work? What do I need to improve to get into better physical condition? What relationships do I need to remove that drain me of my energy? Remaining active outside the office will help you build the stamina and endurance you will need on the job.
2. Develop and maintain an optimistic attitude. It is proven medically, people with a “glass half full” mentality are happier and less stressed than their alternative counterparts. It takes a lot less energy to be positive. Work on your unique outlook and eliminate worrying about all the people, places and things that are not aligned with being positive or outside of your personal control.
3. Delegate, Delegate, Delegate! Identify the tasks at work and at home that you really do not want to do or you are not good at (the “drudge” tasks) and delegate these immediately. You will be amazed how much lighter this will make you feel and give your endurance a boost! Notice how our energy levels seems to be low when we do not want to do something or be somewhere we don’t want to be.
4. Take Control of Your Calendar. Don’t constantly overbook yourself. For example, after a late night of meetings, travel or client entertaining, do not schedule yourself for a 7 a.m. breakfast meeting. Give yourself time to recover. Don’t let business issues spill over into your personal life and vice versa. Work on compartmentalizing the different areas of your life and use success and happiness in one area to raise your energy and spirits in the other areas.
5. Plan ahead. Be Pro-Active! Manage your health and mental well-being! Most senior executives have at least four to five weeks of vacation annually; you will be surprised how many do not take this time off, or if they do, they actually work all day on vacation. Set boundaries, leave the laptop at home, empower others to step up, and disengage on a quarterly basis.
And some of my additions:
6. Make things happen - Don’t just say you want to do something. Go and make it happen. Ask for the next job challenge, or sign up for the next marathon. The most important step in accomplishing anything is starting!
7. Teamwork is important. I can’t make it through a 100 mile race without a spirited support team. The same goes for any day at the office. Surround yourself with great people to get you through.
8. Mix business with pleasure - You have to love what you do in business to keep sane. The same goes for athletics. I like to complement them with each other. I run with business colleagues, I walk around the park while on conference calls, and I take the stairs with my daughters instead of the elevator to combine training and business/family.
Take a look at this article about the endurance training for business success.
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