Professional athletes get paid big bucks to showcase their skills for a few, but important hours during the week. For example, the Superbowl is right around the corner: think about how important just those few critical hours will be for the athletes! Game days are the days that really count for athletes and earn them millions of dollars a year. The rest of their time is divided between practice days and off days. Take a lesson from successful professional athletes  – put the significant portion of your energy into your business game days, and then invest the rest of your time transforming your talents and skills into future business touchdowns!

STEP 1: Game Days
For business owners, game day is the time to put all your effort into selling, marketing and innovation for your business. These are the days when you have a chance to really shine. It’s those few hours a week that make all the difference. Focus your attention on the big picture tasks that need your expertise and delegate the low-value tasks elsewhere. Game days are the days when you truly put your game face on. You need to be completely in the zone, disregarding the unimportant tasks and daily clutter that distracts you from what’s really important. Spend the remaining part of your time preparing, planning, and resting for your game days, when you will achieve your major goals and projects. Game days are when you give it your all.

Step 2: Practice Days
When you’re not in game day mode, break your days up into practice days and off days. Practice days are for you to plan and practice the goals for Game Day. Like professional athletes, use this time to make sure you’re ready to perform at the top of your game when it really counts. Review your selling strategies, rehearse your sales presentations and conduct research on these days. Make sure you’re confident and completely ready to do your best when game day arrives.

Step 3: Off Days
Off days are a time to relax and recharge your batteries so you can perform your best when you’re back on the business field.  Just as professional athletes take appropriate time on off days to rejuvenate themselves both physically and mentally, you should use your off days for the same purpose and results. You can’t be your best when you’re exhausted, and extended periods of exhaustion can lead to burnout. Take just a day or two a week to completely remove yourself from your business. That means no emails, no phone calls, no work; just relaxation.

When you adopt the mindset of game days, practice days and off days, you’ll have a playbook to become a successful professional business athlete. You’ll be focused, prepared and relaxed enough to accomplish your goals without facing burnout or exhaustion. Conquer stress and chaos, and be victorious with an organized and effective business game plan.