Chris Barrow

Nov 4, 20211 min

Using a spreadsheet to avoid burnout

Attached to this post is an Excel spreadsheet.

It is the means by which I have avoided burnout for the last 25 years.

Every year (nowadays usually around May/June) I decide what my calendar is going to look like for the following year.

Some definitions:

  • Free Days - days on which I don't DO anything associated with work (you cannot stop thinking about it);

  • Bunker Days - days on which I work ON my business - thinking, planning, preparing, meeting with my coach, my team, my accountant and my thoughtful critics;

  • Delivery Days - days on which I work IN my business, delivering the work that I get paid for - email, Zoom face to face, webinars, practice visits, workshops, mastermind meetings, trade shows, conferences.

Some rules:

  1. Pick the Free Days first;

  2. Pick the Bunker Days second;

  3. Whatever is left - they are the Delivery Days;

  4. Divide your personal production target by the Delivery Days to give your average daily target.

Then reverse engineer a business plan that delivers your average daily target.

I love to hit targets.

I love my Bunker Days.

But I love my Free Days the most.

There is no such thing as time management - only priority management.

Have a play with the spreadsheet.

p.s. Tomorrow morning I'll be driving to Northumberland on the first of 10 Free Days - the blog will be back on Monday 15th November.

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