If you’ve never read The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen R. Covey, you’re missing out. The book is a classic, and for good reason – it provides a ton of sage self-improvement advice in a relatively quick read. One piece of advice in particular is worth calling out right now, and that’s the importance of sharpening your saw.
The expression comes from an ol’ ditty about a man sawing a log. The work is going slowly, and the man is exhausted. The more he saws, the less he cuts. A guy who’s walking by watches for a bit, then suggests that the man take a break from his work to sharpen his saw. The man replied “I have no time for a break right now. I’m too busy sawing!”
The moral of the story is that, in order to be as effective as you can possibly be, sometimes you need to step away from your work and recharge your batteries. Or rejuvenate your mind, body, and spirit. You know, sharpen your saw. Stepping away is what gives you the energy and willpower to continue working as effectively as you possibly can.
When you do step away to recharge, try to be mindful about it. Don’t just jump right from the work chair to the couch and grab the remote; sharpen your body by going for a jog or engaging in some other kind of workout. In the age of quarantine, there are tons of videos to be found on YouTube that will give you an exercise routine that requires nothing more than willpower and your own body weight.
Sharpen your mind by reading, doing some sort of puzzles (Sudoku is my personal favourite), or pick up a hobby that requires creative thinking. I know a guy who’s begun carving things out of soapstone – an awesome way to keep your mind engaged.
You can also sharpen your spirit, by taking just a few minutes each day to meditate. If you’ve never tried meditation before, I wrote a previous post about it that you might find helpful. In short though, know that meditation isn’t about not thinking; rather, it’s more about acknowledging the rushing river of thoughts that pop into your head, but choosing not to engage them. Just let them flow in, and then out again instead of climbing aboard that train of thought.
Wrapping it Up
The work-from-home scenario many of us are dealing with right now is blurring the lines between our work and our personal lives. As a result, more people than ever are confessing that they’re working longer hours than they ever did when they went into the office. It’s leading to increased stress, exhaustion and burnout. This is the mental equivalent of cutting with a dull saw. By carving out dedicated time each day to hone our tools – our body, mind, and spirit – we can make sure that the version of ourselves we bring to the home office each day is the best version we’ve got.
