What did you do this summer? Raul Krebs, a Recruiter and Partner on our European team, completed a Half Ironman Triathlon. During one of the most successful recruiting seasons of his career, Raul also trained for and competed in a 70-mile race of biking, running, and swimming.
Since he was able to break production records at work while accomplishing impressive personal fitness goals at home, we decided to ask him a few questions about time management, successful habits, and balancing ambitions between home and work. Here is what he shared with us:
Q: What are some strategies for prioritizing time for fitness and hobbies amid a heavy workload?
A: For me, it’s important to have a training plan for the week so I don’t have to think about what I feel like doing on any particular day. Otherwise, I might start procrastinating or overthinking. Another strategy is to have accountability. As we have our mentors at work, I had a mentor for training as well. Also, I tried to always have my training session right after work because I was able to use the momentum from the workday to get to the training session and relax afterward. Plus, it is a good way to switch from a work mindset to a home mindset and not think about work in the evenings.
Q: Why is it important to you to make time for yourself? How do you think prioritizing your own fitness helps your job performance?
A: For me, the energy level and mental capacity are like night and day when I’m in good shape. It brings more excitement to life, and that overflows to work and protects against burnout. How I see it is that our work is part of our life, not vice versa. When I’m excited about life outside of work, I’m also excited and perform better at work.
Q: What’s a piece of advice you keep finding yourself giving to candidates?
A: When discerning your next steps, make sure you are choosing something that moves you towards the place you want to be and the person you want to become. Also, be sure that the position you choose has a great balance of exposure to skills you need to develop and opportunities to work within your strengths. Focusing only on money or getting that title usually won’t make a great and long-lasting partnership.
Certainly not everyone wants to compete in a grueling long-distance race, but we all have interests and practices outside of work that bring us joy and keep us healthy in some capacity. We can learn something from the way that Raul allows—or even requires–himself to focus on his personal passions as much as his professional performance.
To learn more about Raul and ThinkingAhead Europe, check out their page here: https://thinkingahead.com/specialty/europe/
