You work hard; we all do. But at the same time, I’ll bet you don’t play hard; most of us don’t. We live and work in a culture that would happily take all we choose to give and more — and often does. AND we have a life beyond our work – really and truly! I can attest firsthand to the reality of burnout if we don’t balance our time between our work and our life (including R&R and play). Even for the most ambitious individuals–perhaps especially for them–downtime is an important factor in personal health, business growth, and productivity. Taking a break (and ideally an actual vacation) on a regular basis is an opportunity to re-charge, breathe, re-evaluate priorities and to reset your compass. Deep relaxation and some breathing space allows for greater clarity, creativity and productivity. Sometimes you can combine a vacation with a business trip as I’ve been doing in Hawaii recently; if you’re already somewhere fantastic, tack on a few days (or as much time as you’re able) to unplug and unwind. As a regular contributor to Inc.com, I published a short article last Summer (2015) on this very topic. For more details and tips, I encourage you to read it here:
https://www.inc.com/kelli-richards/the-art-of-taking-vacation-for-entrepreneurs.html
Whatever you decide to do, however local or exotic, whether it’s a long weekend or several weeks, and however you choose to spend your time, I truly hope you’ll gift yourself with taking a break on a regular basis to re-charge your batteries — you’re sure to return to your life and your work rested, refreshed and renewed. The bottom line is that regular breaks and vacations are an essential part of your prescription for good health, balance, fulfillment, and a more productive work life.
Do you have a question, challenge or success story you’d like to share? Please be sure to leave a comment. I’d enjoy hearing from you.
~Kelli
