By: O.L./Sway Buckley
You've likely read or heard the importance of resting your mind to resharpen.
But what do you do when you don't want to turn it off because you love what you do…but know you need to be present with each other and in LIFE?
If you're wired anything like us, you've been confronted with the same predicament.
Years ago, we committed to having a lifestyle of rest.
That doesn't mean it's absent of work, but it means that rest for us on the foundational level is trusting God so we're not stressed.
We knew that would require us to be counter-culture in our approach to business, but we were up for the challenge. And a challenge it is! We've been groomed in the 'hustle culture,' If we're transparent about it, it feels like winning- until burnout.
It can be pretty addicting, making you want to keep returning for the next 'hit.' That kind of lifestyle is not what spells success for us.
So we've been on a mission to incorporate rest in our daily and weekly part of growth.
The real challenge started when it was time to transition from work to rest. Over the years, we've implemented a few simple yet powerful principles that have brought such growth and freedom. To be clear, even with these tools, we had to remember that this kind of rest is a supernatural rest that requires prayer and surrender—every day.
Here are the tools we use:
- The Question: During our daily legacy meetings, we ask each other what time we are stopping work today. This is accountability. It works.
- Shut Down Routine: Have a simple shut-down routine that starts 30 min before we shut down. This can be replying to emails, reviewing the top 3 wins for the day, wrapping up the last item, etc.
- Step Away: Changing environments is critical. Otherwise, we're tempted to stay a little longer. It can be just going to a different room and playing music you enjoy.
- Close Open Loops: We do this by writing items down and prepping our list for the next day so we don't go to bed with those lingering thoughts.
- Plan For It: If your mind is not preoccupied, it will default to work. Working in your mind is still work. The goal is to rest your mind. We prepare games, a show, a walk, and anything else to redirect us until the mind stays in that rest flow.
These steps have transformed how we transition into resting and family time. One of the ways we plan (#5) is by incorporating a M.E.P. (marriage enrichment plan). This plan is for the year and helps us focus on activities that grow our marriage as we grow our business.
We include this as the first pillar in our monthly marriedpreneur plan. If you're a marriedpreneur couple who needs a system that protects your marriage while growing your business, join us in our free marriedpreneur masterclass here.
Here's to living purposefully, powerfully, and profitably in sync,
O.L. & Sway
O.L. is a former banker turned real estate consultant and entrepreneur. Sway is a former C.E.O. of a staffing firm she started on her dorm room floor to pay for college. Together they co-own Marriedpreneur Life Consultancy, equipping married entrepreneur couples with high-level systems to scale without strain. They're the co-hosts of The Marriedprenuer Life Podcast, which was praised as one of Wedding Wire's top relationship podcasts. Learn more at MarriedpreneurLife.com.