Sanity Notes #028- Take a risk and turn off

Looking for some support? If now is the time to consider coaching (or a CEO peer circle) reach out here.

This time of year, I find myself conversing with clients about how to end this year well, how to develop a clear vision for the year ahead, and how to effectively reset between now and then.

The challenge I most frequently offer is to take time over the holidays fully away from work.

I mean away:

• Set an away message for your email
• Let your team, board (or portfolio), etc., know you are intending to be fully offline
• Remove email, Slack, Twitter, etc. from your phone (for bonus points, remove all other social media and news apps too)
• Plot a few days to be entirely device-free
• Organize whatever time you can to be fully alone

Step away.

One of the greatest gifts we aim to give clients in our coaching work is some space in their week to step back, care for themselves, and see the whole chess board. It is easy in leadership roles, or any variation of modern work, to lose ourselves in the day-to-day. You can give yourself this gift in the coming weeks.

My challenge to you today is as follows:

• Write down the three things you must finish before signing off for the year
• Set a target date for signing off
• Hold to that date, and sign off

Your future self and the efficacy of next year's work will thank you. We are not in the business of digging ditches; we are in the business of creatively solving complex problems with constrained resources to drive innovation and growth. That kind of work requires perspective and a rested mind.

So what do you say? Are you up for the challenge?

I appreciate that you are here. If you were forwarded this email and it resonates, you can subscribe here.

Please feel free to reach out to me if I can be helpful to you in any way. Simply reply to this email.

With love from LA,

Matt

Looking for some support? If now is the time to consider coaching (or a CEO peer circle) reach out here.