(Prefer to listen to this post? See the audio player at the end)
It’s not easy owning your own business. You have to wear a hundred different hats, be every thing to every body, and work at warp speed to get everything done. After a few weeks or months of this, I know I can feel exhausted and frazzled. Perhaps you’re feeling the same way?
To recharge after a busy and wonderful 2013, I went on a private retreat to a convent in northern Alabama. The lessons I learned at this non-speaking retreat were powerful and life changing, and I want to share some of them with you over the next several weeks.
And for those of you wondering if I’m looking to become a nun let’s just say pitching and selling is alive and well even at the monastery – but alas no sale, yet.
Lesson #1: Waiting Can Be Valuable
One of the first lessons I learned at the monastery is that it’s important to be ok with waiting. While I was in line at the dining hall, I struggled to get ice for my drink. In my haste to hurry up, I offered ice to the sisters beside me in line. One of them said, “No thank you, take your time. We’re accustomed to waiting.”
That simple statement really hit home with me. In our hustle and bustle lives, waiting is hardly an option, and even seems like a waste of time.
Here’s why.
I recently worked with a client for five years to finally garner the much needed funding for their expansion. I talked them off the ledge of some of their shortcuts along the way. And now, with hindsight being 20/20, we’re all grateful for this. Had they secured this money and started work a day earlier than it happened, it would have been surefire disaster and possibly the shutdown of their business.
Remember, fast isn’t always better. At times, shortcuts can be costly or even disastrous to your business. Give yourself permission to wait for the right moment, for the right reasons.
Lesson #2: Slow Down
As you might imagine, at the convent there is no Internet and no television, but lots of books and several rest areas both indoors and outdoors. The idea here is to rest and eliminate distractions.
My first two days at the center I really struggled with this. I kept feeling like I should be doing something. But as I spent time with the sisters, I began to notice that their slower but still productive pace was contagious. After a few days, I finally learned what real rest (and peaceful sleep) felt like.
Upon returning from the retreat, I also started to better understand and enhance my own productivity.
In your normal hectic day, sometimes you just need to SLOW DOWN. Trust me when I tell you a tired, sleep-deprived, unhealthy lifestyle will never allow you to work at your full potential. And unfortunately, that non-stop pace won’t ever allow you to see just how unproductive you really are (or how much better you can be).
There’s no shortcut to this one.
When you feel like you’re at your wit’s end, when you feel frazzled and uncreative and burned out, give yourself permission to slow down.
You’ll likely find that once you rest and recharge, you have the energy and positive outlook you need to accomplish your goals.
That’s all for now. Stay tuned for part 2.
Listen to this post here.
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[…] at a non-speaking convent in Northern Alabama over the holidays. You can click on the links to read Part 1 and Part […]