Over the years, I’ve struggled to keep to a regular workout schedule — a struggle I haven’t always won. Until, that is, I became a freelance writer. I’m healthier and more productive at the cost of one hour a day spent working out. It’s a terrific benefit. Employers would do well to figure out how to fit it into their employees’ schedules.
I keep to a fairly regular schedule. I’m not insane about it and I can easily and gladly schedule client appointments or even time for friends and family, but most days, my schedule is pretty much the same. I’m at my desk around 7 AM. I work steadily for three or four hours and then I take a break and work out for an hour, have lunch, shower and return to work.
On a typical day that means I put in about five fully productive hours. How many productive hours do you get out of your employees? I’ve managed employees for a long time and other than a factory line and manual labor, I know how difficult it is to keep employees fully engaged and productive over the long day.
I worked with a personal trainer to develop my routines. Without his help, I wouldn’t have had a clue about what to do. And I worked with him regularly for over a year to get into good enough shape to work on my own successfully. Now, virtually every day I can work hard at my personal and client writing projects and just about the time I’m running out of steam, rather than spending the rest of the day in semi-productive or completely unproductive time, I take a break, work out vigorously, and when I return to my desk, I’m refreshed, energized, and ready for more.
I can do this because I own my own schedule. I have my own home gym setup, so I don’t have to leave the house or pay fees. But I do occasionally return to JR, my trainer, to monitor my progress, make modifications to my routines, and set new goals.
Being a freelancer is about freedom. How much is freedom worth to you? What choices could you make to gain that kind of freedom?
It’s worth a lot to me. And after I finish this up, I’m off to pump some iron and put some miles in on the treadmill.
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