Blog

Take Fridays Off, or Work While They Slack?

by Jamie Flinchbaugh on 12-19-09

Here are two contrasting points via video. One video is from Chris Brogan of ChrisBrogan.com. The other video is from Cameron Herold of BackPocket COO. Check out both the videos.

Chris says work while they slack and you can distance yourself from the competition. Cameron says take Fridays off. No, that’s not the secret. His real point is focus, focus, focus. Get the important stuff done so that you can take time off and you will build a better culture and be more focused the next week.

What do you think? Are these points incompatible?

Where do you currently fit? Where do you think you should be?

Comments

  • Good advice from both. Time off gives the mind time to make new connections and insights in the background while you add new impressions, then you’re doing more than working while they’re slack. You’re working while their minds are bogged down unable to integrate new thoughts with old.

    Karen Wilhelm December 19, 2009 at 10:55 am
  • Good advice from both. Time off gives the mind time to make new connections and insights in the background while you add new impressions, then you’re doing more than working while they’re slack. You’re working while their minds are bogged down unable to integrate new thoughts with old.

    Karen Wilhelm December 19, 2009 at 10:55 am
  • Good advice from both. Time off gives the mind time to make new connections and insights in the background while you add new impressions, then you’re doing more than working while they’re slack. You’re working while their minds are bogged down unable to integrate new thoughts with old.

    Karen Wilhelm December 19, 2009 at 10:55 am
  • I enjoyed both videos. Insert fly-fishing for skiing and I just forgot about next Friday.

    Tips are fresh air if I’m an entrepreneur, independent, or workaholic. Dodgy suggestions if I work daily in the trenches at XYZ Company and have to manage my managers eccentric notions of time management.

    Jim Baran
    Owner, Value Stream Leadership & Friday Fly-Fisherman

    Jim Baran December 19, 2009 at 11:47 am
  • I enjoyed both videos. Insert fly-fishing for skiing and I just forgot about next Friday.

    Tips are fresh air if I’m an entrepreneur, independent, or workaholic. Dodgy suggestions if I work daily in the trenches at XYZ Company and have to manage my managers eccentric notions of time management.

    Jim Baran
    Owner, Value Stream Leadership & Friday Fly-Fisherman

    Jim Baran December 19, 2009 at 11:47 am
  • I enjoyed both videos. Insert fly-fishing for skiing and I just forgot about next Friday.

    Tips are fresh air if I’m an entrepreneur, independent, or workaholic. Dodgy suggestions if I work daily in the trenches at XYZ Company and have to manage my managers eccentric notions of time management.

    Jim Baran
    Owner, Value Stream Leadership & Friday Fly-Fisherman

    Jim Baran December 19, 2009 at 11:47 am
  • These two points-of-view are completely compatible. They are both about doing something different than the norm to get results that are different from the norm. I personally like the four-day workweek concept because of time with the family.

    If everyone if doing something – five-day work weeks – slacking between Thanksgiving and New Years – then do something different. Clients see what is different, not what is the same.

    Roy Waterhouse December 20, 2009 at 1:24 pm
  • These two points-of-view are completely compatible. They are both about doing something different than the norm to get results that are different from the norm. I personally like the four-day workweek concept because of time with the family.

    If everyone if doing something – five-day work weeks – slacking between Thanksgiving and New Years – then do something different. Clients see what is different, not what is the same.

    Roy Waterhouse December 20, 2009 at 1:24 pm
  • These two points-of-view are completely compatible. They are both about doing something different than the norm to get results that are different from the norm. I personally like the four-day workweek concept because of time with the family.

    If everyone if doing something – five-day work weeks – slacking between Thanksgiving and New Years – then do something different. Clients see what is different, not what is the same.

    Roy Waterhouse December 20, 2009 at 1:24 pm
  • Totally love Chris’ point. I can’t ski today – torn MCL – so while everyone else is skiing – I’m writing another chapter of my book (took 15 min to scan twitter just now). For me it’s all about 100% ON or 100% OFF. I definitely don’t cruise through Nov & Dec on Buffer mode….it’s either all Focus or all Free time.

    Great post Jamie – stay awesome.

    Cameron

    Cameron Herold December 20, 2009 at 4:59 pm
  • Totally love Chris’ point. I can’t ski today – torn MCL – so while everyone else is skiing – I’m writing another chapter of my book (took 15 min to scan twitter just now). For me it’s all about 100% ON or 100% OFF. I definitely don’t cruise through Nov & Dec on Buffer mode….it’s either all Focus or all Free time.

    Great post Jamie – stay awesome.

    Cameron

    Cameron Herold December 20, 2009 at 4:59 pm
  • Totally love Chris’ point. I can’t ski today – torn MCL – so while everyone else is skiing – I’m writing another chapter of my book (took 15 min to scan twitter just now). For me it’s all about 100% ON or 100% OFF. I definitely don’t cruise through Nov & Dec on Buffer mode….it’s either all Focus or all Free time.

    Great post Jamie – stay awesome.

    Cameron

    Cameron Herold December 20, 2009 at 4:59 pm
  • Thanks all. I didn’t want to over-lead the conversation but I think people are heading down the right path. Thanks for adding your thoughts Cameron.

    Focus is important. Know what you want to do and why you want to do it. Working really, really hard without purpose and focus is pointless grind.

    Jamie Flinchbaugh December 20, 2009 at 9:24 pm
  • Thanks all. I didn’t want to over-lead the conversation but I think people are heading down the right path. Thanks for adding your thoughts Cameron.

    Focus is important. Know what you want to do and why you want to do it. Working really, really hard without purpose and focus is pointless grind.

    Jamie Flinchbaugh December 20, 2009 at 9:24 pm
  • Thanks all. I didn’t want to over-lead the conversation but I think people are heading down the right path. Thanks for adding your thoughts Cameron.

    Focus is important. Know what you want to do and why you want to do it. Working really, really hard without purpose and focus is pointless grind.

    Jamie Flinchbaugh December 20, 2009 at 9:24 pm