I was on a Zoom call with a couple of colleagues the other day, and we were joking about how much time we spend sitting on “meetings”.
I was on a Zoom call with a couple of colleagues the other day, and we were joking about how much time we spend sitting on “meetings”.
These days, 90% of business is done on Zoom, Meet or Teams. Now, you know me, I love to get out there in the real world. Meeting with customers, suppliers and potential prospects, having a chat over a coffee or a beer and getting to know the real person in real life. But, as a busy business owner, that can’t always happen, so Zoom it is. I said to them, “I spend so much time sitting in front of my computer, I might forget I actually have legs!” They chuckled and agreed.
A few days later, I found myself on another Zoom call with my colleague Stuart. We were chatting away when I noticed he kept bobbing around on the screen. “Is he walking?” I thought to myself. So I interrupted. “Are you walking? I said. “Yeah” He replied. “I’m on a walking machine. I have a stand-up desk that moves up and down, and I also have a walking machine underneath my desk, which, when my back hurts, I can walk on at 1 mile an hour.” My immediate reply was, “Are you going the right way?” “What, personally or in business?” Stuart immediately replied. We laughed. And the meeting continued.
But it got me thinking about some important questions we should all be asking ourselves every single day. I often talk about the importance of clarity in business. About how having a clearly defined goal and a “how to get there” roadmap is critical for your success. It is, of course, important that you’re “walking in the right direction”. But what we don’t talk about quite as much, is how fast you can “walk”. Time and time again, have I come across business owners burning themselves out, neglecting their health, not sleeping, fuelling themselves on caffeine, never exercising… all in the name of the “hustle”. It’s a terrible plan. When you stop hustling and start taking care of your physical and mental health, your productivity soars. Whether you get a walking machine like Stuart or join the gym, start sleeping more and eating better, the more you take care of your health, the faster you can “walk” in your business.
So how about you? What hacks, ideas or tips do you have for improving your productivity and performance? I’d love to hear from you…