In this episode, James and Phoebe talk rest, play and relaxation and show how these things can all lead to inspiration and more money, not less.
To understand how working less can actually make you more money, you have to understand that most people are employees, where they have been brought up thinking that their value is directly proportionate with the number of hours that they work. This isn’t how it works as an entrepreneur, which is why a different mindset is required.
Abraham-Hicks has a quote that states, “Reduce your workload by 30% and increase your fun load by 30%, and you can increase your revenue by 100%.”
Tim Ferriss says, “Being busy is a form of laziness; lazy thinking and indiscriminate action.”
James adds that we find ways to just be busy, thinking this is a way to guarantee our success.
Phoebe believes people almost get a sense in pride when telling others how busy they are. She remembers doing this herself when she was working 14-hour days while living in Berlin.
To James, this is a way to convince others of our value, and that we feel we need to put in a certain amount of “sweat equity” to deserve happiness.
“The thing is we work and then we forget why we’re working so hard”
A study by The University of Melbourne in Australia shows that working more than three days a week, or 25 hours, is bad for cognitive functioning.
In Jeff Sutherland’s book “Scrum”, he mentions the value of having a 36-hour workweek, with any more resulting in a lack of productivity.
James’ mantra is “less is more”, and you can’t be happy and grateful when you’re completely burnt out. Sometimes the simplest advice is the hardest to take, and often the issue of guilt will come up when you’re not working.
“For a lot of people, being still and resting is not an easy thing”
He notes that the feeling of guilt is an indicator that we do not believe that we are enough.
We need to realize that the very act of not working is actually a part of working, as during this time, your next big idea could come to you.
Phoebe shares that so much inspiration can occur when your environment has changed, like when travelling.
Parkinson’s Law talks about how work expands so as to fill the time available for its completion.
“There’s always something else that has to be done; it never gets 100% completed”
James says that when you start basing your satisfaction on how many items you can check off your to-do list, it creates a vicious cycle. The way to break this cycle is to schedule rest.
James plans a retreat or vacation before and after each launch. He also regularly gets massages, surfs often and makes sure he sets his own hours for when starting and stopping work.
“I’m prioritizing my lifestyle, my hobbies and the things that I want to enjoy”
Phoebe blocks off time each week with a personal trainer, and does the same for time to enjoy cooking, which is also part of her weekly calendar.
LINKS:
“Why Happiness is the New Productivity” (video by Vishen Lakhiani)
“The Biggest Disease Affecting Humanity” “I’m Not Enough” (video by Marisa Peer)
Episode 022: How Walking Can Change Your Life with Derek Halpern
