When the list of things to do grows longer and longer, it gets easier to convince yourself that you don’t have time to take a break. In reality, a balanced life doesn’t exist. You will always gravitate towards what you prioritize. So instead of taking an entire day to try to restructure your whole life, take a step back and investigate your priorities.
Your business will only be as great as you are. If you are always stretched thin and can never refresh, your business will reflect the same. It will lead to sub-par products/services, and your team will not be motivated to operate at their highest capacity.
Breaks Do Not Reflect Weakness
One of the main reasons business owners refuse to slow down or take a break is because they are afraid that they will witness a failure. This is the biggest myth among all entrepreneurs. If you have truly built a capable and trustworthy team, you should be able to manage your business from a higher altitude. If you constantly feel the need to micromanage projects left and right, something needs to change!
Deciding to take breaks throughout your day and scheduling time off every so often is healthy! It does not set an example of laziness. It shows that you have prioritized your mental/physical health that day. This doesn’t mean to schedule five, one hour breaks in the middle of the work day. it means to set a reminder on your phone or calendar to pause every once and a while to breathe. Take deep breaths and re-center for a moment. You’ll realize your focus improves, and you’ll be more attentive when it matters most.
Avoid Your “Short Fuse”
If you are working fifty to sixty hours within the work week, you will start to notice that you are more irritable. This will lead to short and frustrated reactions that your team will not respond well to. It will begin feel like everyone has to walk on eggshells around you. Working this much every week isn’t a bad thing! You will just need to prioritize breaks within this kind of work week so you don’t develop a “short fuse” attitude.
There are many seasons within business operations. There will times when you are walking from month to month and then there will be times when you are sprinting through your months. You will need to take a look at when these different seasons fall on your calendar ahead of time and plan your vacations. If you wait to take a vacation when you are already burnt out, you will not enjoy your time off. Strategize what works best for you and your team and take the time off! You will come back to work refreshed and ready to get busy!
Equip Your Team
Your business needs to be able to operate without you there. It is so important to quip and cross train your team when you can so that the walls don’t come crashing down when you’re gone for a week. This requires trust and delegation. Start thinking through a point person you can leave in charge to manage your teams and projects when you can’t. This will benefit you even if you aren’t on vacation. It means you can delegate more and work on other parts of the business!
It’s never too late to establish and prioritize breaks within your schedule. Once you start implementing them, you’ll find that your business will ultimately become healthier and stronger than it’s been in a long time.