Why You Need To Work On Labor Day
Since about 1887, we've been "celebrating" Labor Day.But what does that mean?Of course, we've got a national holiday to thank all the American workers on whose backs our country has been built.Past and present.Great.
But what are we DOING?
If you're reading this, you made a commitment to action!You made a commitment to yourself and those around you!So if we're serious about our output and our contributions, let us ask:What does "celebrating" mean?
2 Minute Action
Thank someone, right now, for their work.It could be your supervisor. It could be an employee. It could be your aunt who is a veteran.It's easy to forget that we are all out here grinding, together.Let's take action and show some gratitude, today.Make a selfie video.Send a text.It only takes 2 minutes of work, and yes you're supposed to have the day off, but it means the world.
All This Talk About "Intention"
I've been hearing a lot of people use the word "intention," lately.
- We need to be intentional about the way we treat customers.
- We need to be intentional about the way we use our smart devices.
- We need to be intentional about the way we spend our resources.
Basically, the word intentional just means being "aware of why we're doing this."This is another one of those concepts that's simple but not easy.Who are our customers and why do they like us? How might we make their experience better in order to improve retention, loyalty, and product reviews?Why am I looking at my phone? Am I trying to accomplish a task, relax and unplug, or reach out to someone? Would getting distracted help or decrease my chances of doing what I want? Am I in control of my attention and the content that is shaping my thoughts?Am I using our marketing dollars on an outcome that is measurable and valuable? Am I buying something that won't be useful 6 months from now? Am I spending my time on something that isn't moving me in the direction of my dreams?Asking and answering these questions takes time and a lot of effort. It's hard.Seems simple, but it's incredible how many people are moving through life without giving their behavior a reality-check.It's easier to just move through without spending all the mental energy.Mindlessly checking our phones, saying "yes" or "no" is easier than engaging our customers with a smile.Spending money on something right now will let you go faster today, but you may have to buy it again later if you didn't get the right specs.Calibrating our "why do we get up in the morning" with our actions for the day is a powerful habit.It only leads you where you want to go.
2 Minute Action
What are 3 things that you need to accomplish today?Why do you need to do them?What would happen if you didn't do them?What's the worst thing that could happen?How likely is that? Is it really that bad?I'm not saying "don't do the things you need to do, today."I'm saying: be clear about why. If you have too many days in a row where you're not sure why you're checking off these boxes, that's a good sign you might need to recalibrate your trajectory.
The Trick About Peak Performance
It's the peak.That's it.It's not sustainable. It's not feasible under most conditions. It's not the goal.It's good to have peak performance as a benchmark to measure what you're capable of, but to expect it all the time will lead to discouragement.It's more productive/profitable to seek Productive Performance, which is a term I just made up.It signifies a level of output that is sustainable over time, tough to shake under life's difficulties, and it promotes a state of happiness and flow.What's your Productive Performance output? It's probably ~80% of your Peak Performance.It's high enough to feel a little uncomfortable every day, but it's not consuming all of your resources or requiring a "crash day" after your project ends.Everyone is different, so it's your responsibility to figure out your Productive Performance rate (how many hours of work, what kind of labor is most exhausting for you, etc.) and solve for x.School definitely didn't teach this, so it's up to you.The planet needs you.Let's focus. Let's do this.
2 Minute Action
When was the last time you pulled an all-nighter?Do you remember how it felt?When was the last time you worked on a project and felt ready for the next challenge after you finished?Take 2 minutes to compare those moments in your life and give yourself your best guess about what kind of work excites/energizes you, what kind of work drains you, and how many hours it takes before you need to crash and reboot.Having this insight in the back of your mind will help you maximize your output across the rest of your career.