Chapter 6
How to Work 24/7 and Still Get 8 Hours of Sleep
People who have been in meetings with me have probably heard me say, “Let’s move on.” That’s how I tell people they’re on the verge of wasting my time. If they’re lucky, they’ve never heard me say, “Anything else?” That means they’ve already wasted my time, and I’m not happy about it.
Time is the most valuable thing you have—and I’m not just talking about the minutes for which you’re paid.
A lot of people want to take your time from you. They want to bend your ear about something that you’ve already talked over. They’re dreading starting some task and they want you to become their accomplice in procrastination. You’ve probably done this yourself.
But every moment of your time matters. I try to be in control of all of my time—from the first hours after I wake, to the slower hours before bed, to all those little minutes that get eaten up by idle chatter during meetings. Being stingy with your time is the key to working 24/7 but still getting 8 hours of sleep, as I do almost every night.
Work Doesn’t Have to Be Your Life, But Your Life Is Your Work
As my wife, Edye, often says, I am not great at the so-called work-life balance. I work all the time. I’ve even pursued my hobbies with the same intensity I apply to my work, from stamp collecting as a kid to art collecting as an adult. I never play golf because it takes too long, and the business connections it produces can be made just as easily over an early breakfast. I never ...
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