All you need is a 20-Hour Work Week
For years, I have believed that there is no way one could build a great business, or any other meaningful thing, without working 80+ hours per week on that project.
I am not saying, I have changed my belief.
No!
I still know that in order to build something great one must put everything into it. One must monomaniacally focus just on the thing they are trying to achieve. Or they would simply never reach there!
At least not in their lifetime…
But lately I have discovered that this does not mean that one needs to spend 80+ hours at the office. Nor would one need to only be doing things directly connected with their project.
Otherwise the one would simply fade out. They would lose themselves into the project. Forget their reason of building the thing. And finally reach the top of the wrong mountain.
Thus, I have made a decision not to spend more than 20 hours per week on any one activity.
Let me explain my weekly calendar
As you can see, I have divided my calendar into blocks of time.
Those blocks represent the activities I am allowing myself to pursue on daily and weekly basis.
Mostly they include the following bits: eating, reading (both books and emails), meetings, thinking, working, workouts, writing and spending time with Lele (my girlfriend).
Yes, there are two types of activities that I have not added to the calendar, including hobbies (e.g. learning some new skills or watching my favourite shows) and loitering (e.g. spending time with family or friends). That is not accidental, as all that can be done during various mealtimes, at the expense of sleep or while I spend time with Lele. At the same time, I’m not missing much by ignoring most of those…
But let’s delve deeper into the activities I am letting myself dip into.
- I cannot ignore eating. At least not as long as someone has invented a proper way to do so! Although, I do have to admit that I enjoy a great steak, or simply a burger…
Nevertheless, at times, I seem to be forgetting that I should be eating. Thus I have made it easy for myself by having the calendar remind me of those times.
Also, if you are already meant to spend time on chewing, then it is much wiser to do it with someone. Not chewing the same thing with them. But sharing any kind of ideas while doing so.
And that is the reason I have left an hour for most lunches, and two for dinners. You never know how long it takes. And if it takes less than that, then great — I can spend more time on something else. But you never know, so better be ready for it. - Reading. I love reading great books. Not the ones teachers made us consume throughout the schooldays (and sorry to say, I did ignore most of them). But everything that is about business, marketing, psychology or simply successful people.
Also, I have subscribed to my fair share of email lists, and there are many others that simply need a response.
But it is not always easy to find time to deal with any of those. Of course, one finds time to respond to emails. Sometimes spending even too much time on them. Still, it takes effort finding the time, as well as limitinf the time, to read.
So, I have made sure I would not spend too much time in the mailbox, while spending enough time reading a proper book. - I firmly believe we spend too much time on meetings! It is great to meet with people to discuss new ideas. But I see having a meeting just to discuss something that could have been sent over in a two paragraph email, as a complete waste of time.
But I do understand that at times it is not possible to ignore those things. Thus, I have made sure I would have the time when needed.
Meanwhile, I simply limit my availability by booking enough other activities to the calendar so this would not take too much time out of the workday. - Before I realised it is time to divide my calendar into blocks of time, I understood I had not been spending enough time on simply thinking about new, innovative ideas. Or just about where I want to reach out within the next years.
So now, I have made sure I have the time to sit down and just think! - Working. This is what this post is all about. How to build a great business or any other meaningful thing? By doing the work!
Thus, it is crucial that there is enough time carved out to get everything that is necessary done. Not by focusing all the world’s time on it. But by using as little time as possible, while achieving all that is needed.
So there’s time for that. - It so happens that the body also needs occasional workouts to keep going. This is something that cannot be ignored (though for years I did), nor should be, as it is the perfect time to plug yourself out of everything and charge the batteries.
Thus, there is a triweekly spot for that. - For too long, I have been ignoring my inner voice that loves to share its thoughts. So now I have decided to let it loose and do as much writing as possible. Be it for my own blog. For Shipitwise. Or for any other thing. But I need my alone time to write stuff.
- Which brings me to my last bit: spending time with Lele.
Apparently, I have not been a good boyfriend, as I have delved so deep into work that my girlfriend has at times not been happy (that’s an understatement :D).
So, we made an arrangement that I would try to spend 1–2 hours daily only with her.
Of course, we both know that I will not be doing it every day. But as long as I try my best, it should be okay.
So that is how and why I have divided my calendar into such blocks of time.
I know that at times I am not able to follow it 100%. Because sometimes there is a project that needs much more time to be finished. At other times there are more meetings to be held. And finally, you never know when you need to completely plug yourself out, and only spend time with your loved ones or reading a book.
But at most weeks, this is something I have decided to follow.
And I believe this is for the benefit of everyone, including Shipitwise team, Lele and I.
In the end, I am still a workaholic that wants what’s coming to me. The world, chico, and everything in it!
