My 7 to 7 Rule

Posted on June 1, 2018 in Consulting

I adopted a new “7 to 7 Rule” some time ago after realizing that I let work spill over into the personal time of my family and colleagues. Simply, I choose to engage my associates between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. during workdays. Any time outside that window, including weekends, are off limits.

That my family is the biggest fan of the Rule is no surprise. If I am thinking about work, I am not engaging with my family. Everyone needs a break and an opportunity to relax so that they are better prepared to fully engage the next day. If you want to read more on this concept, then check out The Power of Full Engagement by Jim Loehr and Tony Schwartz. I generally hate anything on the self-help aisle, but I love this book. Its message is straight-forward: we should first manage our energy rather than our time. In all aspects of life, therefore, we should focus, dedicate, and then take breaks so that we can begin each day stronger and more engaged. In other words, we should think of life as a series of sprints as opposed to a marathon.

There is another great rationale for this rule and the teachings in The Power of Full Engagement: namely, to be our best is physically and mentally impossible when we are tired and unfocused. My late-night texts and emails often turn into digressions and diversions. Bosses usually offer nothing genius in late-night communications. And sadly, late-night supervisor communications are more often associated with inappropriate intentions and very bad messages. See the demise of Roseanne. Only TV stars can blame Ambien; the rest of us live with significant personal impact for insipid comments. If a light-bulb really turns on, supervisors should take note and address the issue during normal business hours. The habit I have been developing is to send myself an email whenever a work thought surfaces; then, I can have a personal reminder during the next business day to address my thought with colleagues.

Most obviously, inconvenient urgencies arise affecting our teams. But the term “urgent” should be used literally and sparingly. If everything is urgent, then nothing is urgent and priorities get confusing. And when true urgencies arise, supervisors must contribute at the same level as their teams.