Taking Red Days
Apr 29, 2022
What I have experienced (meaning this might not be true for you) is my greatest growth has occurred when I have stopped (work), and I am doing nothing.
One of the world’s best coaches is a guy called Dan Sullivan.
I listened to him many years ago, and he said that for a business owner to have maximum impact, they need to be taking a minimum of 7 weeks’ holiday each year.
And his idea of a holiday is completely away from work (not even checking an email). He said this was even more important for a business owner because we work way more than the average 40-hour week (always thinking about the business and what we need to do).
He refers to having a holiday or time away from business as red days.
He explained that you don’t get growth by going to the gym.
The growth occurs in between sessions (when you are resting).
This is why someone going to the gym less can actually have more growth than someone working the same muscle groups daily.
When you are well-rested, you just feel better.
When you feel better, you do better quality work.
Dan Sullivan talks about good productive days as green days.
Orange days are when you are working but are not super productive.
He argues that it is wiser to do more green days (fully productive) and red days (not doing anything) and aim to remove the orange days (those days where you do stuff, but you are not really into it).
He argues that you are smarter taking more red days, as this will lead to more green days (having experienced this myself, I would say this is 100% true for me).
I’ve also found that amazing ideas come to me when I have red days. And it’s usually after a two or 3-week break.
I just seem to find something to get really excited and motivated about, so I feel energised when I come back to work.
It really is true that one hour of inspired work beats 6 hours of uninspired work. So, often after an extended break, I will achieve more in that first month than in the five months leading into the break.
I’m not sure if you can relate to this?
When you feel deeply rested and have had a break for a good three weeks, do you get excited about getting back into it?
It’s interesting, isn’t it, that as a coaching company, one of our BEST strategies to help a farm owner is to tell them to STOP.
Go and do nothing for a while and give your body and brain a break. Then, recharge, and watch what happens when you come back.
I hope this motivates just one person that it’s ok to STOP and let your body heal, and you will come back supercharged and ready.
