Posted on April 6, 2011 by Dave Crenshaw
Many CEOs want to improve work-life balance, not just for themselves, but for those that work for them. However, they often resist—at least at first—the simple step that could help them the most. In this video, I show you the single biggest step you can take to improve your quality of work life. Please watch; but more important, take action on what you learn. Action Steps:
  1. Watch this video and ask yourself: “Do I have a scheduled time of the day at which I start work and end work?”
    • If yes, ask yourself: “Am I sticking to it?”
    • If not, commit to the times of the day when you’ll start and end work.
  2. The next time you’re tempted to cross your line in the sand, stop and remind yourself, “You’re being inefficient if you do this.”
  3. Share your questions or comments on this page.
Principles:
  1. Your “line in the sand” is defined as that time of the day when you commit to start work and end work.
  2. Working long hours is sloppy productivity. It’s an inefficient use of time.
  3. By using systems, you can improve the amount of work you do in a day.
  4. Benefits to drawing a line in the sand include:
    • Increased creativity. You’ll start to think of ways to get more done in a shorter amount of time.
    • Increased productivity. You’ll be rested each day and be able to come back to work knowing that your life is in balance.
 
This post was sponsored by the Invaluable Focus Calculator. How much time and money are you and your employees losing due to interruptions? Find out using the free tool at: http://www.FocusCalculator.com
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  • Marilyn

    Awesome video and idea. I think many enterpreneurs and business owners, especially those who work at home, could use this advice.

    • http://www.DaveCrenshaw.com Dave Crenshaw

      I see executives at all levels and industries who have a real challenge with this principle. On the other side, I’ve seen many who’ve taken my counsel and they’ve seen more productive work days and better family relationships as a result.

      Thanks for sharing, Marilyn.

  • 1106Design

    Great advice, Dave. I hope the word spreads and we all rediscover evenings and weekends for family time. Home office work and smart phones have almost eliminated true rest and renewal.

    Michele DeFilippo
    1106 Design
    Your book. Designed. With hand-holding.

    • http://www.DaveCrenshaw.com Dave Crenshaw

      Thanks Michele. Please help keeping spreading the word! Not only our businesses, but our families will also benefit from the line in the sand.

  • http://www.biointegra.us biointegra

    Thank your for the suggestion. I believe that it has merit. Now, if only I could get those systems in place and meet existing deadlines :)

    • http://www.DaveCrenshaw.com Dave Crenshaw

      @biointegra – You bring up a good point that I failed to mention in the video. You may need to create a line in the sand that goes into effect not today or tomorrow, but perhaps a week or even a month from now.

      Often CEOs I’ve coached have had to go through a transition period, when the place where they’re at with their time won’t allow for a sudden transition. By setting a target date, say May 1, they give themselves room to make necessary adjustments.

      • http://www.DrAndrewColyer.com Dr. Andrew Colyer

        Another thing that can work well is to start having “Lines in the Sand” for certain days of the week, knowing that it might be impossible to start off doing this all at one time.

        For the workaholics, executives, or “achiever” types, start with one day a week that they don’t do any work, and pick one or more days of the week that they will have “lines in the sand” where they quit work and get out.

        Dave is right – once people start practicing this, and they start seeing a life outside of work, they (and maybe you) will start wanting more of it. Then they can expand to maybe to taking 1.5 to 2 days off per week, and only one night that they work late.

        Rich Schefren suggests to fill your calendar with fun things you like to do after work, so that you HAVE to get out of the office. In Dave’s case, his wife and children are the fun things he likes to do after work. Other suggestions might involve sports, the arts, something creative, etc.

        I have used this myself, and it works every time.

        Thanks again Dave, for another great tip.

        I shared this video with six of my friends via email, and I’m “Tweet-Facing” it out to my entire social network.

        Dr. Andrew Colyer

        • http://www.DaveCrenshaw.com Dave Crenshaw

          Thanks for sharing this with others, Andrew. Good suggestions on also looking at days of the week and filling up your schedule with thing you love to do (just not to full). :-)

  • Simone Bley

    Hello Dave,
    We spoke a couple of months ago on the phone and I really enjoyed our chat. Thank you again for your insight and helpful suggestions. I agree with you 100% regarding the concept of the line in the sand. I was asked by my daughter’s pre-school this spring if we will be up-grading to 3 days per week for next year. She currently goes 2 afternoons per week, during which I “motor” at the wheels of our music school business, keeping things running smoothly and looking forward. My goals including being at home with my children each day in addition to running a growing, thriving business. I know that if I need to add another day to her pre-school schedule, I am not good enough at my systems, and that my business is not as efficient as it should be. I should be gaining MORE family time as the years go by, not taking away from family time. So, we are keeping her schedule as it is, happily for everyone.

    I also want to add that when I occasionally become unbalanced (7 years into running our business, I have learned alot about balance and can honestly say that this is only a handful of days out of the year), I am checking email beyond my “line in the sand”. When I am checking my email off hours, I feel anxious, un-focused, unhappy, un-productive, and I am aware that I am cheating on my core values. My line in the sand is very much connected to my sense of well-being and my ability to be “in-the-moment with my children”. Thank you Dave!

    • http://www.DaveCrenshaw.com Dave Crenshaw

      Thank you for being so open, Simone, and congratulations for protecting your line in the sand!

      When others see you protect the time you have for your family, they will see your example and start doing the same. It sounds simple, but I’ve seen this “domino effect” happen over and over.

  • irene

    Nice video Dave. I think I should be implementing this…

  • Risa Ruse

    Working from home, my day does not always start at the same time and I adjust that by working a little longer. I agree with taking the “weekend” off and I follow that principle to keep balanced. To keep grounded in my Spirituality I put time in for doing positive Affirmations, meditation, contemplation, prayer, and exercise. This is just as important if not more than the physical work I am doing to promote my life’s passion to heal the broken-hearted through writings of inspired rhyme from the Divine. http://RisaRuseArtist.com

  • http://www.meggin.com Meggin McIntosh

    Just shared on LinkedIn & Twitter….and let’s just say that I need to get some “line in the sand” action going on. I’m working on it (but I’m working AGAIN on Sunday). So, there’s continued work to be done. Thanks as always.

    • http://www.DaveCrenshaw.com Dave Crenshaw

      Always good to see you, Meggin!

  • Mia

    Hi Dave! It’s so true (and so difficult sometimes…) I posted the link on TimeFinders Facebook page (sorry it’s in swedish but you can see the link :-) ) I like Andrews comment about at least starting with one day a week and go from there. // Mia

    • http://www.DaveCrenshaw.com Dave Crenshaw

      Thanks for sharing, Mia. This problem of executives allowing business chaos to spill over in to their personal lives is affecting people all around the world. Thanks for taking the message to Sweden!

  • Drgreen49

    This video is an excellent confirmation that my post-retirement scheduling of time in my home office is well spent. My line in the sand is 5:00 PM.

    • http://www.DaveCrenshaw.com Dave Crenshaw

      Awesome. Stick to it, Dr. Green!