Step Away From The Office

On Friday, I decided to take the day off and headed up to Birmingham for the Grand Design Live event at the NEC. I did wonder if I could justify taking a whole day out but hey, that’s what working for yourself is all about. The boss said I could have the day off!

It was six hours plus of driving on the busy roads around London up to Birmingham – that well known M25 car park. Not my favourite type of driving but it did provide the ideal opportunity to listen to nearly six hours of CDs that I’d bought a few weeks ago, part of a Home Study course I hadn’t yet had a chance to listen to.

Sitting in a car for a long period of time is an ideal use of that ‘spare’ time. You can listen while driving, without feeling that you need to dedicate a specific amount of time to just either sit and listen or attempt to multi-task while doing something that really absorbs your attention or just feel that you have to spend time totally in listening mode. Not that I’m saying I wasn’t concentrating on the driving but it’s an ideal way to make the best use of the time.

When you’re away from your usual office distractions it’s easier to step away from your day-to-day business routine and absorb new ideas and information. Sitting in the car or on a train for a long journey is an ideal way to let ideas form, think more creatively, work on projects and just get away from your business for a while. It gives you time to slow down and as Michael Gerber said – work ‘on’ your business not ‘in’ your business.

Escape from your blackberry, leave your laptop behind – yes, go on you can do it. Your business won’t fall apart without you for a few hours. Take time away from your business to get the bigger picture view.

Where you would like to go today or … next year?