You\u2019ll actually be more productive<\/em> if you unplug. But that\u2019s easier said than done for some of us. <\/p>\n\n It\u2019s hard to unplug for the weekend. I hear it whenever I talk with busy leaders about taking time off stage. Work has an inertia of its own. Unless we plan our time off stage, we\u2019ll be tempted to slip back into what is routine\u2014what is familiar\u2014and we\u2019ll end up working. (Don\u2019t ask me how I know this!)<\/p>\n But slipping into weekend work is not inevitable. If you want to break an old pattern, you have to be intentional. Yes, allow for spontaneity, but<\/em> start with the end in mind. Ask yourself these three questions:<\/p>\n Looking back on my time off stage \u2026<\/p>\n Rejuvenating weekends don\u2019t just happen; they are caused. Here are my rules to make sure I don\u2019t spend the weekend working:<\/p>\n I don\u2019t follow these rules perfectly. It\u2019s especially tough when you work with family. But I come pretty close. How? The key is to replace work with something else.<\/p>\n An enjoyable time off stage has more do\u2019s than don\u2019ts. The options are endless, but for most of us they fall into several large categories we can use to optimize our time off stage.<\/p>\n And with that in mind, here are five ingredients that make sure your weekend is a WOW experience (along with some general suggestions).<\/p>\n Recreation.<\/strong> Play helps us de-stress and stimulates our creativity. So play golf, throw a ball, or go hiking. You could also take a class related to a hobby that you would like to learn; spend time in a novel, a memoir, or a history book; or watch a new movie or television series.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n Relationships.<\/strong> Weekends are perfect for investing in relationships. Take your spouse or significant other on a date. Attend a marriage seminar. Start a book club with friends. Call family members. Go to dinner with friends or have them over to play cards.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n Reflection.<\/strong> \u201cReflection and prayer are man\u2019s internal GPS system,\u201d says William J. Bennett. \u201cIt is how a man evaluates and determines his fortune and his future.\u201d So take time to meditate, journal, attend church, write a life plan, or find a beautiful setting and just sit and think.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n If this isn\u2019t quite intuitive to you or you want to up your game, I\u2019ve created a Weekend Optimizer Worksheet to make the coming weekend a WOW experience for you. You can download it here.<\/a><\/p>\n\n
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