We can all agree that our daily rhythm patterns are out of whack right now. With a lot of us working from home and away from society and peers, there’s no doubt in my mind that some of us are either having a hard time unplugging, or having an even harder time getting the ball rolling. One commitment I’ve made to myself until this pandemic passes is I will NOT let my daily rhythm’s get thrown off.
How does this look? If anybody knows best what it is like to work from home day in and day out, it’s a dairy farmer. Here is the dairy farmer’s path to success:
1. Take Short naps throughout the workday: Dairy farmers fall asleep the second they sit down. Take power-naps if you’re tired. Naps actually will improve performance. Long naps will make you sluggish. Power-naps (15 to 20 minutes) re-energize.
2. Unalterable certainties: Cows are milked twice a day. That never changes! Build your work day around unalterable certainties. Most farmers don’t enjoy milking cows, but it has to be done and it governs their schedule. When you complete a daily task – like milking the cows – it sets you free to attack other projects. An unalterable certainty in the afternoon guides the way you plan your day.
I’d suggest you write down (3) things that everyday HAVE to be done everyday. Govern your day around these things. If you don’t have tasks that have to be done daily, then commit yourself at least (1) goal each day that you’ll knock out. If you don’t have some type of schedule or goal, you’ll find yourself just scrolling Facebook all day and wasting time.
3. Steady on: Ask a farmer how he is doing and he will tell you, “Steady on.” Notice you never see a farmer running around like a chicken with its head cut off. (Apologies to all the chickens out there.) Days are long on the farm, so you pace yourself. Medium speed allows you to work all day. Frantic work is NEVER your best work.
4. Schedule in your fun: Fun means more when there’s always too much work to do. A dairy farmer’s vacation happens between 10 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. Plan fun or it won’t get done. Plan fun or you end up working all the time!
5. Preventative measures: The best farmers meticulously service their equipment after they finish using it. Preventative measures are preparation for future work.
While none of us are farmers(well, that might not be totally true), we do rely on relationships to lead our people and run our businesses. Strong relationships are preventative measures. If you wait until you need a relationship to build it, it’s too late. Service your relationships(maintenance). What preventative measures might make your relationships stronger? Strong relationships enable future results. Nothing will take us farther through these times than strong relationships!
How can you schedule your days/weeks out for this next month? My best advice — Don’t fall out of the good habits you’ve taken years to build. Including servicing your relationships. It’ll be even harder to re-introduce them back down the road. If at all… That includes taking time to have some fun also!