As a business owner and facilitator of numerous CEO advisory boards, I am unquestionably busy most of the time. My calendar fills up fast when I let it, and every now and then I suddenly realize that I need a break – a break that is mental, physical, spiritual. I need something beyond a regular planned holiday. In spite of my best efforts, I’ve just plain run out of steam and need to hit pause.
Have you ever had this happen to you? It often comes at a time when you might be experiencing one or more of the following:
- Reduced productivity
- Burnout
- Being “tired” all the time
- Inability to focus
- Indecision around direction and prioritization
- The “fun” factor has maybe dropped
- In short, you aren’t motivated
No matter what we do, sometimes this just happens. And it happens to all of us at some point or another. Most likely it will happen more than once, too. As an entrepreneur and leader, you are likely incredibly driven. But the fact is, you can only go so hard and so fast for so long. You run out of steam. The drive eventually wears down.
Some of the best business advice I’ve ever been given was to learn to stop instead of pushing harder. When you’re feeling worn down, stop and listen. It’s crucial to address the situation quickly, or it will only get worse.
The good news is that the problem is relatively easy to address. Take a long weekend off – 3-4 days is a nice little break. And really take it off. No computer, and ideally no phone. Remember, you are trying to recharge.
You might immediately be running through a mental list of all the reasons why you think you can’t take those few days off, but here are a few things to keep in mind:
- Your business will run fine without you. It really will. And what doesn’t work, well, this will be a good opportunity to identify weaknesses and work on correcting them over time.
- All those things that you think need to get done – let me ask you, are you getting them done now? They will still be there when you get back.
- When you say you can’t afford the time and/or money, it’s just not true. The truth is that you can’t afford not to take a few days. You get much less accomplished when you’re running on empty.
Now go plan that long weekend, and make sure it’s on the calendar soon. Plan to take your break with family, friends, your significant other, or maybe just take a day or two just for you. It can be amazing.
Here are just a few ideas of great, relaxing things to do:
- Massage/Spa day/weekend
- Fishing trip
- Yoga retreat/workshop
- Culinary workshop
- If physical activities are your stress reliever, then
- Bike
- Hike
- Rock climb
- Ski
- Whatever works for you!
You get the idea. Just make sure that whatever you do regenerates you personally. If you don’t take care of yourself, then your leadership inevitably will suffer. There is nothing wrong with taking a little time; it sets a great example. And if you see one of your employees needing a quick break, too – let them have it, paid.
What are some things you do to take care of yourself?
By Blair Koch
