Having just returned from an 8+ day vacation, I started thinking today about taking breaks. Mental breaks. With a 9-5 jobby job your to-do list and motivation is all supplied by someone else. But as a business owner or entrepreneur, everything’s on your own shoulders. With entrepreneurs, taking time off for R&R also means that productivity skids to a complete halt. Ack! Not a good thing for fueling momentum, increasing visibility, or making new contacts for your biz. On the other hand, there’s nothing more pointless than going away for rest and relaxation and doing nothing but work and more work. I’m convinced that balancing the two is a continual work-in-progress, but I also believe that there are a couple things anyone can do to enjoy the best of both worlds:
– Prepare Before heading out of town, write down a few vacation goals. Do you want to check your email for 5 minutes a day? 5 hours? Never? Do you plan to return phone calls first thing in the morning or perhaps right after lunch? Have you told your contacts how available – or unavailable – you will be? Make a game plan before you leave and you’ll be able to keep things running at home while still enjoying the reason you left it in the first place.
– Relax With a complete lack (or at least a shortened version) of a to-do list, vacation can be a powerful time for brainstorming. Take your journal along and make good use of your relaxed, open state of mind. You never know, amongst the museum-hopping, sun-catching, and sight-seeing, a powerful, new idea might just end up being the most exciting event all vacation.
Don’t hesitate to splurge once in a while on a well-deserved break. Schedule in a smidge of business time and put your feet up. And enjoy!
I'm an author, marketer, and mommy who loves to read, write, and drink coffee. My husband and I live in suburban Kansas City with our two little girls. This site chronicles my world. Thanks for stopping by!
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