Cartoon: Four Tips for Great Free Days

1. Schedule your Free Days in advance.

Book these days ahead of time—or, better yet, delegate that to an assistant—and treat these days as non-negotiable. There’s always some reason not to go, yet the reasons never seem as important in retrospect.

2. Do what you want to do.

If you’re doing chores and clean-ups, it’s actually what we call a Buffer Day. And if you’re just doing what everybody else wants, you probably won’t come back feeling refreshed. You’re allowed to just have fun; you don’t have to justify yourself through productivity.

3. Let your team help you.

As the saying goes, “How can I miss you if you never go away?” When you’re not available, your team members have to rely on their experience, native ingenuity, and decision-making powers. It’s the best way for them to grow.

4. Train your clients.

Let them know how this works: They get you some of the time, and when they do, you’re with them 100 percent and at your best. But there are other relationships you’re also 100 percent committed to. Besides, your team members have talents that might better address what your clients need in certain situations.