Time is our most valuable asset. We take little time away from work. When you do, don’t think about work. When you do something social, or attend an event, or go to a family function, or watch a movie, be present and get engrossed in where you are. It does you no good to go and think about the business. The worst thing you can do is to take time away, go to a non-business function and spend the time thinking about the business. If you are going to take the rare time away from work to enjoy, make sure you are present. If not, don’t go.

“Don’t be at work when you are not at work.” 

Let Your Mind Wander. Your mind also needs to clear and your brain will appreciate different stimulus. Your mind is working twenty-four hours a day thinking about the business and it needs a break. When you let yourself experience something unrelated to work, it helps settle your mind. It doesn’t only need a break to let it rest. It needs a break to think about other things. This will help to unlock the creativity you need to advance your business. When we think about your business all the time, our perspective becomes too limited. We fail to be exposed to solutions that might come from a more balanced existence. Reading the newspaper, discussing current events, talking about fashion, discussing someone else’s business or job—all of these introduce new perspectives about the world that not only help free your mind, but might have application to your business. Make time for and be open to unexpected intersections.

Think of yourself as part of the product or service you are delivering. If the diamond in your jewelry wasn’t holding, wouldn’t you change the setting? If your consulting services were too expensive, wouldn’t you change the price? If your wearable device didn’t transmit the right data, wouldn’t you change the technology? It is no different with you. Especially with the strain you are under and the constant presence of pressure, passion, pleasure and pain, you need to be better, faster and stronger. These rules will help you build a better product to serve customers, employees, investors and you.