Create a WOW: Break the Myth (and Dangers) of Working 24/7

Working around the clock helps no one!

When was the last time you took a vacation – a REAL vacation, where you didn’t even think about work?  Or even took just a weekend… or a night off?  Working 24/7 (even just thinking about work 24/7) is not healthy for you… and it’s not healthy for your company.  Many of us feel we have no choice, but this type of work ethic and schedule exact a high price from those who employ it.  The point is that no workplace will ever be a WOWplace if employees are completely burned out and drained from having to think about work around the clock.

Inc. Magazine wrote a wonderful article on how employees at global giant Boston Consulting Group have changed this attitude by fostering a “team coverage” mindset.  Read below how they did it – and how you can implement (or suggest) it for your workplace:

http://www.inc.com/maeghan-ouimet/how-to-stop-sleeping-with-your-smartphone.html

It’s not impossible to apply these principles, no matter what you do, or how large or small your company.  As a REALTOR, with only one assistant, I employed this principle to get some much-needed downtime.  If my assistant at the time was unlicensed, she covered the administrative portions of my business during vacations, while licensed colleagues covered the real estate-related portions (which I reciprocated during theirs).  If my assistant was licensed, we covered for each other on vacations and weekends.  I remember taking a one-week cruise and coming back to discover that 5 new contracts had been signed while I was away.  I almost took another one immediately just to repeat that success!!

Even now, as a solo-preneur completely engaged and excited about my own business and its success, I still need downtime to help me refresh body and mind to continue doing what I do at the highest level of quality and service possible.

Give it a try.  Let go of the mindset that you are the ONLY one who can do a task.  Sometimes this is true – but it’s not always true… and it’s definitely not true 24/7.  Have faith in your team and start looking for ways to enable the team to give every individual on the team some needed time to “refresh” while the team takes care of business.