Work Like A Lion - Be Smart With Your Time

The idea of ‘Work Like a Lion’, popularised by thinkers like Naval Ravikant, offers a take on productivity and career growth. It caught my attention recently, so I thought I’d dive into how this concept can help you in your own career journey.

In a world where the grind is often glorified, many professionals find themselves stuck in a cycle of constant busy work. It can feel like you're being productive, but it’s really just grazing—slow, steady, and ultimately draining.

You lose that spark, the enjoyment, and the creativity you need to truly be at your best when you’re caught up in the endless rush of staying busy.

The truth is, success often doesn’t come from working non-stop. It comes from purposeful bursts of intense focus, balanced with intentional rest. This is what working like a lion is all about.

What Does It Mean to Work Like a Lion?

Lions don’t hunt all day. Most of the time, they’re lazing about, conserving energy and waiting for the right moment to pounce. When they strike though, they give it everything they’ve got—achieving results with precision and power. Then, they rest and recover before the next sprint.

For your career, this means:

• Focus on High-Impact Work: Don’t fill your day with tasks just to feel busy. Identify what truly matters—projects that push you forward, elevate your skills, or add real value—and give them your full attention.
• Leverage Inspiration: When you’re inspired, use that energy. Make the most of it to produce your best work.
• Rest with Purpose: Taking breaks isn’t slacking—it’s strategic. Rest allows you to recharge, reflect, and come back with fresh energy and perspective. This might mean when you have a day off, or a holiday make sure that you actually take the time 'OFF'. How many of us, go on holiday, only to spend the week checking emails by the pool!? Really, is that helping you recover, or hindering your ability to perform at your best because you are not getting the right level of rest.

How to Make Your Team Lions

If you’re managing a team, you can help them work like lions too. Start by removing the unnecessary busywork—endless meetings, pointless tasks, and distractions that drain energy without creating value.

Here’s how:

• Eliminate Endless Meetings: Ditch unnecessary meetings that don’t move the needle. Only meet when there’s a clear purpose and outcomes you need to achieve. Keep meetings short and focused.
• Remove Pointless Tasks: Help your team focus on what truly matters by cutting out tasks that don’t contribute to the bigger picture. Encourage them to stop “doing” for the sake of it.
• Encourage Focused Work: Just as lions are selective about when to hunt, help your team identify and focus on high-impact work. Enable them to block out time for deep work, where they can give their best efforts.
• Prioritise Rest and Recovery: Recognise that productivity isn’t about being “on” all the time. Encourage your team to rest strategically, ensuring they have time to recharge, reflect, and come back with fresh perspective. When your team are on holiday, make sure they know you don't expect or even want to see them 'Online'!

Why It Works in Your Career

• Avoid Burnout: The constant grind isn’t sustainable. Alternating between focused work and rest ensures you stay fresh, creative, and motivated.
• Boost Creativity and Problem-Solving: Rest gives your mind the space it needs to process ideas and come up with innovative solutions.
• Achieve More in Less Time: By focusing on high-impact tasks, you can accomplish in a few hours what might take others a full day.

How to Apply It

Working like a lion requires a bit of discipline, but it’s simple to implement:

• Plan Your Sprints: Break your day or week into focused periods of intense work. Use time-blocking to dedicate slots for your most important tasks.
• Eliminate Distractions: During these sprints, protect your focus. Turn off notifications, find a quiet spot, and create an environment that helps you concentrate deeply.
• Schedule Rest: Don’t treat rest as an afterthought. Make sure to schedule breaks and proper downtime, even longer periods to completely disconnect - leave the emails for when you are back at work.
• Evaluate Your Progress: After each sprint, reflect on what you’ve achieved. What worked well? What could you tweak for next time?

The Modern Career Lion

I know, many businesses still focus on hours worked rather than the impact you make. If that sounds like your workplace, it’s worth looking around for organisations that value ‘IMPACT’ over ‘HOURS’. Trust me, they’re out there.

Employers who prioritise 'impact' appreciate quality, not being busy for the sake of it. Your career will thrive when you can balance real drive with proper recovery.

So, Sprint when it matters, rest when you need it, and repeat the cycle. You’ll achieve more, stay healthier, and—most importantly—enjoy the journey.

From Experience

This concept really struck a chord with me because I’m seeing the direct benefits in my own life. Before starting my business, I was constantly busy, but despite working really full on weeks, it often didn’t feel like I was making much of an impact. It was endless meetings, worrying about targets, bouncing in and out of workshops, and even meetings about next year’s summer party—stuff that kept me busy, but wasn’t fulfilling or really useful.

Then, when I started my own business, something shifted. I suddenly found I had more time. Strange, right? It’s not like I’m working any less. In fact, the work I’m doing now is having a far greater impact, and when I’m working, I’m fully engaged. But here’s the difference: I’ve cut out hours—literally hours—of pointless meetings each week. With that time freed up, I can focus on high-impact tasks and take downtime when I need it.

Case in point: I can now, without fail, fit in an hour of exercise every day. That’s something I never had time for before.

Working like a lion makes perfect sense. How can you possibly be at your best if you never take downtime and are consistently working flat-out on low-impact tasks? You can’t.

• If you’re in a business that values hours worked over impact, my advice is simple: make a move.
• If you manage a team and want to improve performance, consider adopting strategies that promote the lion model—giving your team the space they need to create real impact.
• And, if you’re feeling burnt out, it might be time to rethink the way you work.

No matter which scenario applies to you, I genuinely believe that working like a lion could be a game-changer.

Best,

Richard

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