Lessons from Rollerblading: Overworking and the Importance of Staying Alert in Business

Lessons from Rollerblading: Overworking and the Importance of Staying Alert in Business

Last Tuesday, I rejoined a rollerblading group for their leisurely skate night. However, the group decided to engage in an hour and a half of hill work in preparation for a long road skate. After thirteen exhausting miles, I arrived at my car, removed my skates, and closed the trunk—only to be hit in the head by my bike rack. My tiredness had caused me to forget about the rack and make a careless mistake.

This experience made me think about the corporate world and the countless overworked CEOs and employees I’ve encountered. The pressure and workload have increased as companies have laid off staff to improve their bottom line. These hardworking individuals often admit to being tired and overwhelmed, which could lead to making mistakes or missing critical information.

In a steady-state environment, it’s possible to work flat out and stay focused. However, our world is constantly changing, and disruptions can occur unexpectedly. If unprepared, these disruptions can cause significant damage to an organization’s competitiveness, profit margins, or even its survival. It’s crucial to ensure that you and your team have the opportunity to look up from the daily grind and assess the environment around you. The cost of overworking and the inability to respond to unexpected challenges can far outweigh any perceived benefits of keeping costs low. In the end, you don’t want the competition or unforeseen circumstances to catch you off guard.

© 2013 Marc Borrelli All Rights Reserved

 
 
Regenerate response

Recent Posts

5 Strategic Leadership Skills Every Manager Needs

5 Strategic Leadership Skills Every Manager Needs

So often, people view leadership as a talent: you’re either born with this quality or you’re not. However, this is not always the case! In reality, good leadership is made up of skills, and anyone can learn how to improve. Some people may pick up leadership attributes...

5 Ways to Use Email Automation to Boost Traffic

5 Ways to Use Email Automation to Boost Traffic

Every single business in the world wants to evolve and grow. This will happen using a variety of techniques and strategies. In 2022, digital marketing is more than a household name, and most companies will adopt at least a few ideas when long-term planning and coming...

Profit and Revenue are Lousy Core Values

Profit and Revenue are Lousy Core Values

As I mentioned last week, I am down with COVID and tired, so spending more time reading rather than working. I read Bill Browder's Freezing Order this weekend, and I highly recommend it. However, at the end of the book, Browder says that oligarchs, autocrats, and...