Do you want to increase your productivity, be happier, and at the same time reduce your risk of burnout? Then get acquainted with the „8:4“ rule, which is used by emotionally intelligent people and is designed precisely to achieve these goals.
What is the „8:4“ rule
Trainer, author, and coach Jonathan Goodman once felt that his work was putting him at risk of burnout, so he left for a kind of sabbatical for four months. After four months, he returned to work and found that he was more productive, more satisfied, and ultimately more successful than he would have been if he had worked during those four months.
He therefore created the „8:4“ rule. As explained in an article on Entrepreneur.com, these numbers refer to the number of months in a year. At the core of this rule is the idea that everyone should divide their life into seasons. Eight months of work and four months during which one devotes more time to personal projects, rest, travel, or anything else one considers appropriate. It is essentially a four month annual sabbatical.
How to implement this rule in your life
The foundation of this idea is dividing the year into specific work seasons. This does not mean that you must necessarily take vacation during those four months. However, you should plan a change in your work routine for this period. This way, you will have something to look forward to during the remaining eight months, and your working year will gain a certain sense of dynamism. During your four month sabbatical, for example, you may finish work earlier, devote time to a personal creative activity, or work remotely from a non standard destination.
If you are interested in this principle in greater depth, Jonathan Goodman described it in his book originally titled Unhinged Habits: A Counterintuitive Guide for Humans to Have More by Doing Less.
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