Hi Chris
I’m reading Deep Work and The E-Myth Revisited again.
I’m also realising that I need long periods of uninterrupted time to concentrate without distraction if I want to achieve anything meaningful and to produce work of substance.
Currently my work means I can only sit and do this after 10 at night.
How do I find time to think/read/plan/prepare?
Not all of this will be transferable but it may help your thinking:
- I wake at 05:00 weekdays – my best thinking time is early
- I never think much after 18:00 – I’m useless after that (knowing when you are rubbish is good)
- I plan a Buffer Day each week – no clients – working “on” my business
- I spend about 60 minutes every Sunday morning, updating my personal finances
- I book a 3-day planning retreat in The Bunker every quarter
- I take 12 weeks vacation every year – not always a holiday but certainly time to think
- I travel by train or plane – it gives me plenty of uninterrupted time (in fact – I wish I had done this 30 years ago and never bought a car)
- I aim to run 200k per month (that’s over 20 hours) – and have never worn earbuds – running is my meditation
I don’t always practice what I preach, but I’ll share this…
A few months ago, I read an item in a magazine on “essential men’s style tips” or some similar title and one tip was:
“Mark off your diary in advance for haircuts”. It explained that if you don’t schedule your haircuts in advance, you’ll only get your hair cut when you need to. And a gentleman should never look like he needs a haircut.
The point being that if something as mundane as haircuts should be planned in advance, then clearly treating patients, running a practice, building a practice should be.