#72: Using Vacation Days + Understanding the Future of Work

Welcome back!

What does success mean to you? Is it about money, job title, lifestyle? Or is it something more?

I don’t think there’s one right answer; everyone has a different way to measure success in their own lives.

For us at OTF, there are certainly metrics that we care about, but more than anything else, we’re successful when we share something that helps you along your journey. That’s all that matters to us.

If a piece of content has helped you in a particularly meaningful way, we’d love to hear from you: [email protected].

In the meantime, here’s a few of our favorite definitions of success. Hopefully one inspires you this morning:

• Success is the ability to go from failure to failure without losing enthusiasm - Winston Churchill
  

• Success is something you attract by the person you become. For things to improve, you have to improve - Jim Rohn
  

• Success is liking yourself, liking what you do, and liking how you do it - Maya Angelou
  

• Success does not consist in never making mistakes but in never making the same one a second time - George Bernard Shaw
  

• A successful person is one who can lay a firm foundation with the bricks others have thrown at them - David Brinkley
  

• Success is how high you bounce when you hit bottom - George Patton
  

• Reaching the goal is not success; success is moving toward the goal - Bob Proctor

On that note, let’s move toward some content!

This Week’s Highlights

Elevating Your Brand 🤝 

• A 2-DO List Focused on Building Your Brand

Fattening The Wallet 💰️ 

• Making Sense Cents of Why You Should Use Your Vacation Days
  

• Stay on Top of the Latest Trends in The Search Bar

Boosting Your Productivity 📈 

• Hustle Hub: There’s Never Been a Better Time for Solopreneurship
  

• Motivational Content for Your Commute 

Content For Your Commute 👍️ 

ON FOOT: Take a break from your favorite podcasts and cue up your favorite motivational songs. (If you need recommendations, this playlist has a little something for everyone.)

TRAIN TIME: After the conductor punches your ticket, dive into one of these great articles about success (and failure).

FIRST CLASS: Remove that eye mask, pop in some ear plugs, and immerse yourself in one of these 15 Books for Entrepreneurs in 2024.

Making Cents 💰️ 

Why You Should Use Every Vacation Day

Short and Sweet: Life's too short to leave vacation days on the table people. Using them up can help you recharge, prevent burnout, and increase your productivity.

Why It Matters: Because vacations aren't just for relaxation; they're crucial for mental health, fostering creativity, and even improving physical health.

Break It Down: Why You Should Use Every Vacation Day

• Boosted Creativity: Stepping away from your day-to-day grind can give your brain a chance to wander and think outside the box. Whether it's exploring a new city or hiking in the mountains, new experiences can fuel creativity that enhances work performance.

• Sustained Productivity: Regular breaks ensure you don’t reach a point of diminishing returns in your productivity. People who use their vacation days often return to work with improved focus and energy, which can lead to better work flows and a clear head for more opportunities for advancement.

• Improved Physical Health: Chronic stress can lead to real health issues, from high blood pressure to mental health disorders and everything in between. Taking time off helps reduce stress and related symptoms, keeping you healthier and more resilient.

Take Action: 3 Things You Can Do ASAP

• 1) Plan Ahead: With the second half of the year approaching, map out your vacation days around holidays or personal milestones like birthdays or anniversaries. Planning ahead not only gives you something to look forward to (as we love to anticipate fun times ahead) but ensures you use all your days.

• 2) Staycation Counts: Not every vacation requires travel. If planning a trip feels overwhelming, consider a staycation where you explore local attractions or simply relax at home. The key is to disconnect from work fully, not just physically, but mentally!

• 3) Set Vacation Goals: Have specific goals for your time off, whether it’s finishing a book, learning a new skill, or visiting a place you’ve never been. This makes your time off more intentional and rewarding.

Hustle Hub 📈 

• YOUR SUCCESS: Why NOW is the best time to be a solopreneur, according to Forbes.

• THEIR SUCCESS: Self-made millionaire discusses why you don’t need originality to be a successful entrepreneur.

• YOUR SUCCESS: Some believe 9-5’s will become obsolete; make sure you’re ready to thrive when (if?) it happens.

The Search Bar 📊 

As of 10:00 PM on Monday, 6/10:

MOST SEARCHED COMPANY (past 24 hrs): Apple - At the Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC), Apple has, among other big updates, introduced “Apple Intelligence” - a suite of AI tools - to the world.

MOST SEARCHED STOCK (past 24 hrs): Nvidia - This Wall Street wonder split 10-to-1 on Monday and promptly rose in share price. Is there any stopping the 2nd-most valuable company in the country?

TOP 100 APP SPOTLIGHT (past week): HotSchedules - On data.ai, this acclaimed employee-scheduling app rose 77 spots to reach #66 in the Top 100; in the Apple Store alone, it’s ranked #1.

2 DO This Month 💭 

1. Publish More Content - If you aren’t creating yet, it’s time to start; if you’ve already started, reflect on your work so far and think about how you can raise the bar. Whether you’re trying to make money on YouTube or increase your reputation on LinkedIn, in this day and age it’s essential to create and publish content if you want to build your brand.
   

2. Network! - Now that the sun’s staying out later, you should too! Make connections with people online and then meet up with them in person. If it’s all about who you know, then put in the effort to know more people.

If you’re hoping for a Successful Summer, this is a great place to start!

Before You Go

We hope you enjoyed this edition of OTF. Next week, we’ll be Making Cents of how to make your first $1 online, offering up new communication tips, and much more.

See you then!

You are now On The Fly and In The Know