It’s so easy to get caught up in the day to day tasks. Perhaps you made a resolution or goal for 2020 to spend more time doing your hobby. But, you haven’t yet because your day to day stuff seems more important. I believe that hobbies are just as important to your business as they are for your self-care. For me and my business and mental health, I smoke cigars, maybe your hobby is racketball or painting, doesn’t matter, just invest some time in your hobby.
Cigar moments for me are moments of clarity. I do some of my best brainstorming when I am smoking a cigar. Over the years I have reworked my practice and my life while smoking a cigar. Just a few years ago I was smoking a cigar and knew that the way my practice was going, with the new regulations, just was not going to be as sustainable as I had hoped. That’s when I came up with the idea for a retainer-based, advice driven practice so that I can attract more entrepreneurs, executives, and retired professionals. I have also reorganized the non-profit that I am on the board of as a result of these moments. Perhaps my favorite strategy that I developed while smoking a cigar, is to only go into my office Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday. On Mondays and Fridays I don’t see clients and I don’t do typical work. Instead I smoke cigars, have lunch with my wife, and get all of the bigger tasks done.
Along the way, I’ve started smoking cigars away from my home. It started with a client inviting me to his deck to smoke. This client became a friend and has referred several clients to me because of the relationship that has grown organically out of a mutual hobby. I’ve had the reverse happen as well, I spent time with a friend smoking and then he left his job and needed advice on his rollover. I also enjoy going to cigar events, sometimes with friends and family and sometimes where I know no one. I do all of these things because I enjoy them, but a side effect of going to cigar events, is that I meet people. These people have similar values and interests and so we hit it off. Sometimes these people become friends, clients, or even referral sources, all of which are great to have.
Hobbies are important for us to have because we all live busy lives and we need to take care of our bodies and minds. Perhaps smoking a cigar doesn’t seem like the best act of self care, but for me it works. When I smoke a cigar, I am taking deep breath and have longer periods to contemplate. When I smoke a cigar, I typically have left my phone elsewhere. We all need breaks from our emails, texts, and social media. Also spending time engaged in a hobby creates joy in our lives, it gives us something to look forward to doing, which is the whole point of working hard, right, enjoying our lives?
It’s so easy to get caught up in the day to day tasks. Perhaps you made a resolution or goal for 2020 to spend more time doing your hobby. But, you haven’t yet because your day to day stuff seems more important. I believe that hobbies are just as important to your business as they are for your self-care. For me and my business and mental health, I smoke cigars, maybe your hobby is racquetball or painting, doesn’t matter, just invest some time in your hobby.
Cigar moments for me are moments of clarity. I do some of my best brainstorming when I am smoking a cigar. Over the years I have reworked my practice and my life while smoking a cigar. Just a few years ago I was smoking a cigar and knew that the way my practice was going, with the new regulations, just was not going to be as sustainable as I had hoped. That’s when I came up with the idea for a retainer-based, advice driven practice so that I can attract more entrepreneurs, executives, and retired professionals. I have also reorganized the non-profit that I am on the board of as a result of these moments. Perhaps my favorite strategy that I developed while smoking a cigar, is to only go into my office Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday. On Mondays and Fridays I don’t see clients and I don’t do typical work. Instead I smoke cigars, have lunch with my wife, and get all of the bigger tasks done.
Along the way, I’ve started smoking cigars away from my home. It started with a client inviting me to his deck to smoke. This client became a friend and has referred several clients to me because of the relationship that has grown organically out of a mutual hobby. I’ve had the reverse happen as well, I spent time with a friend smoking and then he left his job and needed advice on his rollover. I also enjoy going to cigar events, sometimes with friends and family and sometimes where I know no one. I do all of these things because I enjoy them, but a side effect of going to cigar events, is that I meet people. These people have similar values and interests and so we hit it off. Sometimes these people become friends, clients, or even referral sources, all of which are great to have.
Hobbies are important for us to have because we all live busy lives and we need to take care of our bodies and minds. Perhaps smoking a cigar doesn’t seem like the best act of self care, but for me it works. When I smoke a cigar, I am taking deep breath and have longer periods to contemplate. When I smoke a cigar, I typically have left my phone elsewhere. We all need breaks from our emails, texts, and social media. Also spending time engaged in a hobby creates joy in our lives, it gives us something to look forward to doing, which is the whole point of working hard, right, enjoying our lives?
