What do you do when it’s Q4 and you have little to nothing left?
The reality of what I am seeing with some Creative, Leader, and Change-Maker teams is blended between those amped and excited for fourth quarter and all that it brings, and a small percentage who need the kind of rest they can only get by incorporating some changes in their approach to work. Today’s blog is for that team member or for you business owners and nonprofit leaders who have arrived to fourth quarter with the question, “what do you do when it’s Q4 and you have little to nothing left?”
PUSH BACK
Rest is a part of your strategy. If you only know how to “hustle and grind,” you might believe you need to just “keep pushing.” But what if you incorporated planned rest as a part of your Growth Strategy this season? Some teams are over it. Some leaders don’t want to hear another thing about pivoting.
If that’s you, it’s time to shake things up.
What if instead of keep pushing, you pushed back?
Push back in this case means pushing back against the “hustle and grind mantra” and actually take a day or two to rest. If you can’t unplug and set aside things for the next 24-48 hours, here are a few push back tools that can set you up for some reprieve:
1. Use a productivity tool
Tools such as Asana (or others) can be used to receive status updates. Transform your usual meeting times into team engagement time. Some team members might not look forward to being vulnerable or sharing during team engagement activities. Keep in mind your team’s styles and preferences. On the other hand, you may ask yourself, “do we really need a meeting?” If you don’t let your team know you’re implementing a new process and you’ll get back with them when the plan is solidified.
Another change is to consider Anchor Days (not the ones where everyone comes into the office). I’ve used the term Anchor Days to define my Monday and Friday- the days that set the tone for the beginning and the end of my week. Monday is for
planning, brainstorming, research gathering. Fridays are for reflection, recovery, analyzing, admin, and celebrating wins. It may take a week or two for you to reframe how your week is structured, but I also limit days and times of the week when I’m available for meetings. As a Creative, Leader and Change-Maker, sometimes, your work pulls more on heart strings, requires more creative analysis, and mental work is still hard work. Honor yourself and adjust your pace.
Plan a day, a weekend, a week, even 4 hours of actual rest where you can unplug and where you give your team permission to unplug. The motivation behind rest is not so you or they can be more productive, but because you’re human and it’s what smart humans do. Admittedly, I’ve had my experience with burning the candle at both ends and needed a break, a vacation – even a sabbatical. However, rest and unplugging is now a part of my daily practice.
Set the Tone
If you find yourself asking the question, “what do you do when it’s Q4 and you have little to nothing left,” you can implement any of the things mentioned above and you may also schedule a time to chat with me to unpack it and come up with a game plan. Sometimes, it’s simply helpful to have a thought-leader to share with.
After all, leaders set the tone and the culture in wherever you’re serving. Gone are the days of working yourself and your team into delirium.
