Start 4:00pm Fridays

Ah, the end of the working week approaches. While most people are thinking about mowing lawns, relaxing with a good book and enjoying a sneaky beer, us entrepreneurs are thinking about attending to errant up on paperwork, writing proposals and generally catching up on work.

However, it pays to remember that weekends were invented for a reason – to actually take a break from work, at least for a little while.

With this in mind, it’s time to institute something that sets the tone for the weekend and makes it clear for you and your staff that taking a break is an essential part of working – it’s called the 4pm Friday.

It’s relatively simple to institute. Simply, when it gets to 4pm on Friday afternoon, you shut down your computer, stand up and announce to your hardworking team that you are going home and they should do the same.

If you feel like it, thank them for their hard work that week and encourage them to have relaxing and restful weekend. Perhaps throw in the fact that you’re looking forward to seeing them bright and early on Monday, ready for a very productive week.

It’s a small gesture that your staff, your family and your mental health will appreciate.

Get it done – today!