The 24 Hour Rule

I have a super ninja trick for you.

It’s one that’s going to help you through some of toughest emotional moments of your career (and life).

And I discovered it from ice hockey.

No, it’s not to drop your gloves and pull the jersey over your opponent’s head for some upper cuts…

Or to remember the player who cheap shotted your buddy for some later-in-game retribution…

In fact, I learned it when I signed my kids up for 8-year-old travel hockey.

The 24-Hour Rule

You sign a lot of waivers when you sign up for youth sports for things like commitment, substance abuse, concussions, liability, harassment, etc.

Kind of like when you sign an employment agreement (except maybe the concussions)???

The youth hockey organization we play for has a special rule for parents called:

“The 24-Hour Rule”

Here’s how it works…

We’ve all run into situations where our “fight or flight” instinct is to immediately react to whatever got us hot under the collar.

In youth sports, it may be the coach didn’t play your kid in a key play or maybe a referee missed a call.

The 24-Hour Rule asks parents to wait 24 hours before reaching out to the coach, hockey director, league, etc. with your OH-SO-IMPORTANT-PRESSING issue.

Of the many, many times my wife and/or I felt the blood boiling during/post-game to the level we felt an immediate urge to act in only ONE instance did we follow up after the 24 hours passed.

And it wasn’t even for hockey…

You see, we found The 24-Hour Rule so effective we’ve adopted for ALL of our family commitments.

From other sports, to school, to friends, and even at work.

The magic of the trick is it broadens your mindset, gives you the space you need to process the situation, and enables you to act with your foundational values in mind.

How does this apply to work?

I bet you can think of something that pissed you off at work within the last few months or you know is just around the corner.

• In the office, it may be something your boss did you don’t agree with…
• Perhaps someone passively questioned the quality of your work or your commitment level to cover their own ass…
• Maybe a customer/investor/vendor is causing indigestion….

Chances are you’ve been priming yourself to react to such situations over time.

Things were/are bubbling…

And when it comes….

BAM!

It’s go time…

Here’s where you can take a cue from 8-year-old youth hockey and take 24 hours.

Sleep on it…

Process it…

Gain some perspective/empathy for the parties involved…

Maybe phone a friend/mentor to talk it through…

Now, with a clearer mind commit to a plan/reaction in line with your core values.

It’s the ONLY way you should move forward.

It’s the ONLY path with no regrets.

Build Your Dream Home

When you operate from a foundation built on your core values, there is no situation you can’t handle.

The 24-Hour Rule helps you lay bricks on a foundation you are proud of…

Over time you build a structure that is authentically you.

Your life’s work.

Maybe the tallest building in the world if that’s your thing…

Maybe a nice cabin in the woods…

Or a houseboat on a lake in the mountains…

Whatever it is, the 24-hour rule ensures your structure will stand the test of time.

And I’m so excited to hear what you have in mind.

Let’s go!

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Roger Lumpp III?loves helping people find a more fulfilling work life. He firmly believes WORKERS will gain more and more control over the conversation as we move into the “future of work” and shares his thoughts and observations of the rapidly evolving landscape through The Next Gig newsletter, speaking engagements, podcasts and anywhere else he's needed. Roger is a?Top 100 Staffing Leader to Watch in 2023 Winner?from The World Staffing Awards presented by?Candidate.ly.

Opinions expressed are my own, all rights reserved.