CEO Confessions: overwork is your silent business killer.
As a CEO, you’re no stranger to burning the midnight oil.
But let’s not kid ourselves—there’s a thin line between commitment and diving headfirst into the chaos of overwork.
But your laser focus might be overworking you, crushing you and your team’s creativity.
It’s time to take a break.
You’re Working in the Biz, Not on the Biz
It’s easy for you to get lost in day-to-day tasks: driving the truck to the delivery site, planning out field projects, following up on overdue invoices—they’re luring you away from your strategic thinking and the overall vision for your company.
If you’re stuck in the weeds, micromanaging every detail, that vision becomes a distant mirage.
Trust your team and S.E.D.O. (see below).
Overworking is Killing Your Creativity
Your brain needs space to think up new product and service ideas, to ideate about where you want your business to be in 10 years and make a plan for it, to dream about what your team could look like, and to connect the dots that others can’t see.
You need time to identify your company's challenges, find possible solutions, and then choose and execute those solutions.
Your brain needs time for creativity.
Burning the midnight oil makes you feel like a hero, but in reality, you’re just snuffing out the flames of innovation.
Creativity thrives in a rested mind, not one pummeled by an endless to-do list.
Spotting Overwork in Your Team
Always On Syndrome: If your team is replying to emails at odd hours or giving up weekends without a fuss, they might be overworked.
Creativity Drought: Notice a decline in innovation and fresh ideas? It’s not a lack of talent; it’s the creativity killer at work.
High Turnover: If you’re seeing more team members leaving than usual, it’s time to ask why.
Mistakes: Overworked minds are prone to errors.
Setting the Example for Your Team
Like it or not, your team is watching, so you need to be setting a good example.
Your overwork isn’t just affecting you; it’s creating a culture where burning the candle at both ends is the norm.
How to Tackle Overwork
We’d like to share our good friend Michael Gidlewski’s S.E.D.O. tool, which can help you recenter your focus when it comes to overworking.
Simplify: What task, activity, or process can be simplified, streamlined, consolidated, or rearranged? Can the complex be simplified?
Eliminate: What task, activity, or process that no longer has value to the organization and/or is no longer necessary can be eliminated?
Delegate: What task can be delegated to other team members that will help them increase their contribution factor and free up your time to work on your most important High Payoff Activities and your Unique Ability?
Outsource: What tasks, processes, or projects that are not in your wheelhouse or are not part of the core of your business can you outsource? Do what you do best and outsource the rest.
Automate: What tasks, processes, or projects can be systematized, combined, standardized, programmed, or automated? Create systems and processes to handle repetitive tasks and create systems to support you. Automate and systematize as much as you can.
You can find further information on the S.E.D.O. tool on Michael’s website.
As a leader, you gotta do the impossible: step back, trust your team, and delegate like your business depends on it—because it probably does.
So, for the love of all things innovative, take a break, trust your team, and let the seeds of creativity sprout like wildflowers in a well-tended garden.
Your business will thank you, and so will your sanity!