We’re bombarded with so much more in life these days. Business is no different. It’s a far cry from the simpler life my parents experienced more than 40 years ago. Fewer people. Less technology. No information superhighway. Today we marvel at the convenience of plug and play, cell phones and other touch-able devices that make our lives and businesses easier.
For the past seven years, I’ve coached many clients through overwhelm to create stronger systems and processes to support their business. That’s the easy part! Each time, I found a highly beneficial starting place - unexercise.
Unexercise is the act of doing absolutely nothing. I don’t recall where I first heard the term but when I did, it really stuck with me. It’s a fairly simple practice yet most entrepreneurs have a diffult time with unexercise. Why? I think it’s because you’re so accustomed to constant activity. Sounds of a ringing phone, ringing. Email notifications chiming. Tweets chirping. Flashing banners on your computer monitor. Write a blog post. Get on a call. Check your calendar. Get on another call. Whew, it’s no wonder!
Schedule an hour on your calendar for unexercise. For that one hour, do absolutely nothing. No telephone, no tv, no talking, no tweeting, no writing, no reading. Just sit. Let your mind flow freely. Daydream. Let your ideas pour out of you. Unclog your worries.
This will help to rid your brain of the garbage. Eliminate the muddled trivial details. Silence the noise keeping you from being your best self.
If you fall asleep during this time, your body is telling you to rest.
If your mind wanders to new ideas, let it. You’re moving to a highly productive space. How kewl is that?!
My clients love it! Start your unexercise in 5 or 10 minute chunks and grow to the hour. Engage in unexercise once a week and watch your business grow to greater heights. You may also find a way to quiet the activity in your life and gain a stronger sense of focus and purpose for business.
Ready to benefit from unexercise? I’d love to know your comments.
June 10th, 2009 at 8:17 pm
Unexercise, eh? You know, I can’t remember many times taking an hour or so to get away from the computer just to do nothing. I always feel like I haven’t earned that right yet. One of these days, though,…
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June 15th, 2009 at 10:11 am
The concept of unplugging is so important. I love sitting still. Sometimes, I turn on a favorite CD, put my feet up and just relax and think of great things: what wonderful parents I have, how excited I am about seeing my mom this weekend for the first time in over a year, how thankful I am that I have healthy children, how I want to get my nails done. Wow! Just writing this makes me want to unplug right now. But it’s Monday morning and I can’t! Thanks for the great post. I’ll remember it when I’m unplugging Friday afternoon!
July 8th, 2009 at 3:10 pm
Unexercise! Now that’s a term I’m not familiar with unless I’m working with a client that is a state of “not” exercising, and their life and body shows it.
I love the concept you’re presenting here, and I especially love what Donna Maria said. Those thoughts and emotions…..priceless.
However…I’d love to see the entrepreneur also schedule a time of “exercise!” What better way to boost your energy level, sustain your metabolism, improve overall health and wellbeing, and of course, have a great looking body. But there’s one thing most overlook, and that is the power of “exercise” when it comes to increasing and improving your business. Ahhh, now that’s something I’d love to talk about. It works!