I have been strategic about taking time away.  I will work very intensely for a few months and then allow time for recovery.  It’s the principle Todd Durkin talks about as far as life being hard intense sprints and then taking time to recover.

You may tell yourself that you can’t afford to take time away from your routine, but the truth is it will cost you more if you just keep going until you drop or your productivity drops.You may tell yourself that you can’t afford to take time away from your routine, but the truth is it will cost you more if you just keep going until you drop or your productivity drops.

How do you know if your productivity has dropped?

I’m so glad you asked because that is the topic of this week’s topic: 

Tracking

I can remember getting really down on myself when I first started my self-employment journey.  I really didn’t think I was doing very well until I started going over my numbers and realized I had made lots of improvement over time.

My numbers had steadily grown and of course it wasn’t overnight success but when you compared the 3 month, 6 month, 9 month, and 12 month numbers…it was a steady climb upward.

I instantly felt more encouraged.

I would see the same thing with clients in the gym.  They would think they weren’t making much progress and objectively looked at the data.

Blood Pressure down?  Yep
Cholesterol down?  Yep
Increasing weight in the gym?  Yep
Able to do things not able to do 6 months ago?  Yep
Able to fit in clothes not able to 6 months ago? Yep

You get the picture.

Tips

1. Whatever you want to change: Make sure you are tracking progress.  

2. Check in Daily/Weekly/Monthly:  The Best Self Journal has us track Weekly what we are doing.

3. Do a Major Review Quarterly, 6 months, and Yearly:  Now this is where you will REALLY notice your progress and be encouraged.  We live in such an instantaneous society that we just don’t appreciate that sustainable change takes time.

4.  If you really want to be encouraged in regards to your goal, then go back 3 years and think about where you were and compare it to now. 

When I do this exercise with people very rarely do people think they are worse off.  Even if they’ve had to start over again, the situation they left was so bad they are glad they had the courage to move on.

People also realize they are much more resilient than they have given themselves credit for.

Below is our QUOTE OF THE WEEK!!