Robert Saric

One of my biggest challenges is that I don’t sleep enough, and thankfully it’s neither insomnia nor any chronic sleep conditions.   Over the past few years and the launch of some good and not-so-good ventures,  my wake-up time has typically been 5:00AM (no matter how late I’ve gone to sleep).  For me, I place my business towards the top of my daily priorities.  Work, play, exercise and innovating daily is tiring.  One of my good colleagues is a doctor, and she recommended that I apply one simple rule to give myself more personal time each month.  I listened to her and tried it, and as a result I have established a healthy routine, slept much better and most importantly, became much more productive.

The 3-2 Work/Relax Rule

This simple rule has really become one of my favourite things to follow every month.  It’s simple, because it forces you to shut down and relax routinely.  Monday to Friday, ensure that you stop ALL work related activities by 5PM, 3 times per week – no cellphone, no emails .. just relax.   2 weekends per month, do the same.  Even for the busiest professionals, this still leaves you with 2 days per week to work as late as you want, and 2 weekends per month to dedicate to working on your business.  In the past, I never had a relax regime, so for the most part, I never shut down and I was always on .. this rule forces me to take a certain amount of personal time each month and it seems to work for me.

When it comes down to it, getting the sleep that you need is critically important to your company’s current and future success.  To take care of your business, don’t forget to take care of yourself first!  Make personal time routine, many of you have already mastered this — but if you haven’t, try applying the 3-2 Work/Relax Rule each month.