Being a successful entrepreneur is not all about working 10 hour days in the office. In fact, Alan Denton of The Results Centre believes that having an interest outside the office can help to make you a better leader. Whether extreme sports, a new craft or learning the piano, different interests can not only allow you to relax, but can help you develop important skills useful for the boardroom.
“A hobby that allows your creative mind to get working can be great for opening yourself up to new ideas and methods of working,” Alan comments. “Certain activities like learning an instrument or a new sport allow you to develop a more systematic approach to solving problems which is a skill you can take back to the office. One of the most positive traits that comes from having an interest is a new level of confidence. Running a marathon, climbing a mountain or even jumping out of a plane will give you a real sense of accomplishment and will help you look at problems in a different light. “
So, whilst you may claim that you don’t have the time for a hobby, you may that find that getting your head out of the office and focusing on something else will help you be more productive when you are at your desk.
Staying productive on the road
As an executive, the chances are that you spend a lot of your time travelling either internationally or across the UK. So, with a great deal of time spent on the road or in the air, how can you make the most of this ‘dead’ time?
We are lucky enough to have the technology which allows us to hold a wealth of information in our hands all at one time. Invest in a tablet device and you will really start to notice not only the convenience of having everything in one place, but that your stress levels decrease. Use it to store all event details in one place, from train and plane tickets to hotel reservations.
Using a cloud storage system, which enables you to have all your work ready to go at any moment, means that you don’t need to worry about laptops, hard drives or USBs. The ability to sign in online and have everything you need available on any computer means that should any problem occur when you are out of the office, you have all the information to hand to help solve it.
Let’s be honest, with the internet it’s easy to get distracted, so when flying take advantage of the downtime and get some work done. Even if it’s drafting replies to emails that you can send later, you’ll be surprised how many little jobs get done without any distractions.