Article by Jeff Davidson
Jeff Davidson
In today’s hectic world, it seems as if taking on one more task, watching one more show or visiting one more website won’t be of any harm. On occasion, that is true. As a daily, often-repeated practice, however, it begins to wear on us.
In his 1913 commencement address to the Yale graduating class, Sir William Osler bade the students to “live in tight compartments.” What he meant was take care of today’s business today, but don’t “borrow” against tomorrow.
A Day is 24 Hours
There will be another day tomorrow, and another after that. If we learn to live in a tight compartment, we can maintain high energy, avoid burnout, be better with our staff and be a more enjoyable family member.
Here are three ideas for staying energetic:
- Don’t borrow against tomorrow. When you feel tired in the evening, it is time to go to bed — not to slog through the next TV show, review the next 10 pages or visit the next website. Your body gives you indicators and it makes good sense to use them.
- Ensure that you tend to your physical needs on a regular basis. Bodies crave regularity. Eating at the same time is actually helpful.
Food fuels your body and your mind, so that you can be at your best. A good breakfast counts. A decent lunch does wonders. A dinner that is lighter than the earlier meals will help as well.
Periodic snacks are good, but keep them healthy. Carrots, celery, apples and bananas are your friends.
- Drop back and take a breath whenever you feel like it. You get to pause anytime you want, periodically throughout the day. Even in the midst of complicated brain surgery, you can take moments here and there for yourself before returning to the fray.
Without taking periodic breaks throughout the day, life seems like one long grind. You deserve a break or two or 10, today. Take them.
Pacing Yourself
Not borrowing against tomorrow means pacing yourself for the long haul.
I worked with my friend Peter for a book binding equipment manufacturer, the summer before we entered college. It was my only time in a job shop, and I learned many lasting lessons.
Before you left for the evening, you oiled your machine, wiped the floor and counters and cleared away scraps and extraneous items so you could begin the next day without impediments. The craftsmen sometimes elaborately cleaned and reorganized items in the middle of the day too as they switched from one job to another.
When you’re working with potentially dangerous industrial equipment, you can’t afford to have a stray bolt or paper clip lying around that could catch in a gear and fly across the factory floor into someone’s face.
As deftly as these job shop professionals worked, they continually maintained control of their immediate environment because they understood its importance on many levels.
Overly Cautious?
In case you think they were being overly cautious or were paid some admirable hourly wage, guess again. These workers were paid by the piece, and they were known as “piece workers.”
Any one of them could have easily increased their output on a given day by slacking off on cleaning and maintenance procedures. After all, if you can turn out seven pieces in a day spending 30% of your time cleaning and maintaining, you might be able to produce more than 10 pieces if you completely concentrate on your output.
In the short term, you could make more money. Longer term, you could injure yourself or others, create more waste, shorten the equipment’s life or get fired.
The lesson for us all: “pay as you go,” clear the decks each night, arrive ready for the next day and pace yourself for the long haul.
Jeff Davidson is principal of Breathing Space Institute in Raleigh, N.C. He offers keynote presentations and workshops on work-life balance.