No matter what niche you are in, you will (need to) have downtime. Taking breaks is important because it allows you to think with a clean slate the next time you go back to your work. There are few people who can work for countless hours straight, and those people are the exceptions, not the rule. For most of us (that means you, me, and countless others), we need some downtime. However, there are many people who spend their downtime doing the wrong things. Those wrong things include watching TV, surfing the web, and doing other unproductive activities that eat up more time than we realize and make it harder for us to get back to our work each time. However, there are some positive ways to spend your downtime. Here are the big three:
- Spend time with your family. Without a good family, all of the wealth you could possibly accumulate would not be worth it. Family comes first, and I would not be where I am today if this was not a core belief for my own family. Your family consists of the people who you will know for the rest of your life, so treat them well.
- Exercise. I cannot emphasize enough how much running has indirectly helped my business. Running taught me that it is possible to thrive after putting in a lot of hard work. Exercising over a long period of time has given many people the discipline needed for success.
- Read a book. Not only do you get to learn more, but in some cases, you will be able to read a thrilling story. There are some books that we read that we simply never want to stop reading. Unbroken, Tipping Point, and Purple Cow are three books that you won’t want to put down until you finish reading them.
Those are the three best things to do during your downtime. There are plenty of other things you could do during your downtime, but most of those things involve procrastinating, losing time, and getting stuck doing the wrong thing for the wrong reason. What are your thoughts on the list? Do you have any additional things you do during your downtime that you enjoy and find valuable? Please share your thoughts and advice below.
Great post Marc. In addition to exercise and spending time with family, sometimes, literally doing nothing is one of the most productive things you can do. Removing the techonology, books, and other distractions allows you to be refreshed and recharged. Sometimes, new thoughts and ideas, or even solutions to problems are identified with a little inactivity. This is a good way to healthy balance.
Rodney, this is definitely a great idea. I know some of the most successful authors and comic book writers often “stare into space” when they are thinking of new ideas. My recommendation is to have a notebook with you when you are thinking of ideas so you can write them down and remember what they were.