This week I was off my game. I had a lot of commitments and found myself completely drained by Wednesday. While my schedule is generally packed, it doesn’t usually take this much of a toll. How did I cope? Caffeine. Lots and lots of caffeine.
When I finally got a minute to stop and think, I realized what was different: I hadn’t meditated all week. Each morning, as a rule, I spend 10 minutes meditating in an effort to help clear my mind, focus my thoughts, and get energized for the day. It’s a vital part of my morning routine. But every day this week, I let it slip in favor of a few extra minutes of sleep or to get to an early meeting or for extra drive time. Ten minutes a day isn’t much, but not having it made a huge impact on my clarity, energy, and focus.
Making time to refocus and recharge—even if it’s only for 10 minutes a day—is important. It keeps us sharp and enables us to perform at peak levels. I have friends that lift, run, or practice yoga, others that take a nap in the afternoon (I am jealous of those), or simply take a few moments to breathe as a way to help them get back on their axis.
Take some time to figure out what helps you recharge and make it a priority in your daily routine.
“There is virtue in work and there is virtue in rest. Use both and overlook neither.” —Alan Cohen
Have a great weekend.
—Vijay
About Friday Food for Thought (FFfT)
I frequently attend conferences and retreats on entrepreneurship and leadership and while I am away, the J2 team picks up the slack, allowing me to learn to be better at what I do. I wanted to share what I was learning with my team, so I created the weekly FFfT emails in November of 2015 and have been writing them ever since.
Before long, the J2 staff began sharing the FFfT emails with their friends and family and now other leaders have asked to be included, which led to the creation of this newsletter. I hope you enjoy!