Business Performance & Recovery
Recovery, an often overlooked key ingredient in business high performance. As we become more productive and expend more energy, we must also get more proficient with recovery. Many of the greatest business owners and athletes have mastered recovery. Today, we'll take a deeper dive into recovery and what that means in your business.
History & Conditioning
From a young age, we are conditioned to be hyper productive. We are pushed by our parents, coaches, teachers, bosses, and the list goes on and on. Do more, work more, and have more. In schools today, they are increasingly removing fun and exercise for more tests, standards, and work. My 6 year old has 4 nights of homework in 1st grade! It's understandable, they have been conditioned by society too!
In Japan, people are dying of Karoshi. They are literally working themselves to death! It could be argued that it's not that dissimilar in America. It's just a slower attrition. Constant work pressure results in rapid physical and emotional decline which has a major impact on quality and length of life. You don't have to look far to see a prime example.
But what about recovery? The emphasis seems to pale in comparison to activity.
Your Ability To Recover
Recovery has absolutely everything to do with your consistency and success in business. Great business success requires a large mental and emotional energy expenditure in most cases. Being skilled at recovery gets you back in the zone faster and you'll be more productive. The golf great Jack Nicklaus was known for recovering between shots. He realized that the intense focus needed to win golf tournaments couldn't be sustained for 4 hours. He learned to focus intensely leading up to his shots and then he would decompress as he walked to his ball and then Jack would start the process all over again. Business is not that different. We must find ways to recover daily and throughout the year to grow and be near our best. Chasing growth, challenging ourselves, sprinting, and then recovering in our unique ways to get after it again! Our best ideas, visioning, and planning often occurs during periods of recovery.
Warning Signs
What warning signs exist to make us aware that it may be time to work on recovery? We are all unique, but many of the warning signs are common.
Mental focus is quickly waning
You react with catabolic emotions
You feel like a victim
Enthusiasm is non-existent
You are tolerating repeatedly
You are taking on too much responsibility
Anxiety
Overwhelm
Lethargy
Frustration
Inner/Outer Conflict
Your business is stagnant
By the way, these are all capable of creating stress in your life. We become more consistent when we see the early warning signs and seek recovery before we reach burn out. When I started my personal/professional development journey in 2012, I started keeping a journal. When I go back to read that journal, I see the deep and cyclical burnout that is nearly as repeatable as the sun rising in the East! I worked hard on becoming far more productive(Which I needed) and packing in more and more, but I didn't have the awareness to seek recovery from a performance standpoint.
Recovery
If only there was a magic recipe for recovery! The ingredients are different for everybody. I think it's important to note that recovery is not just rest. Have you ever noticed that you can sleep very well and get caught up and not feel recovered? You are only addressing one aspect of physical recovery. Our bodies still desire movement, proper nutrition, and breathing. It's no different spiritually, emotionally, and mentally. Every core influencer has it's unique ingredients for recovery. Examples:
Spiritually, time in nature may help you recover.
Mentally, new goals and planning may help you recover.
Emotionally, connecting with others may help you recover even if you are an introvert by nature. Conversely, if you are extroverted, you may still need some time in isolation to rest your mind.
Core influencer and values work can be powerful for finding new ways to recover.
Conclusion
As you approach 2022, consider working recovery into your goals and planning. Put your vacation time on the calendar NOW. Make recovery part of your daily and weekly schedule. Two ways I plan to add more recovery into my schedule in 2022:
Trail running in nature every Friday morning after I walk my son to school. It recharges me and often the wisdom flows.
Hire a coach. Yep, even a coach desires a coach! I miss it!
Lastly, if you have a significant other, ask for their input as you plan 2022. Yesterday I asked my wife this question: Let's make 2022 the best year of our lives. What does that look like to you? You may be surprised what you hear!
How can you work more recovery into your life in 2022?
Your Coach,
Todd