Whether your flights are cancelled, the city you were going to travel to has been hit hard with COVID-19, the economy has you worried or you’re staying home to care for your loved ones, lots of people are cancelling their vacations this summer. But just because you might be having a stay-cation in 2020 – and even if you’ve been home for months at this point – do not cancel your time off. As a business owner or entrepreneur, taking a break is more important than ever.
We know a trip to the beach doesn’t take much convincing and it’s more simple to be checked out when you’re physically gone, but it’s easy to stay logged in, accessible and even working full-time during a scheduled vacation when you’re just hanging out at home. We are here to tell you to STOP. When you are done reading this blog, put down your phone and go play with the kids. Walk away from your computer and go for a walk. Close your study door break out the fire pit tonight. You deserve it and you need it, especially this year and especially if you’re not going out of town.
There are two sides to this coin – you need a break from your business and your business needs a break from you.
First of all, you need a break from your business. When was the last time you went a full day without checking your emails? When were you able to send your non-emergency calls to voicemail without worrying? Even if you’re lounging on the couch, if you’re working, then you’re working. That means you’re not giving your brain time to re-energize and you’re not going to be your best, most creative and most innovative self, which can lead to business owner burnout.
Before you take this vacation time, whether it’s a few days or a week or longer, try making one of your trusted team members your emergency contact and then setting your out of office. While you hopefully have systems in place so your team can run your business in your absence, if you set an emergency contact, you won’t feel obligated to check any voicemails or texts from anyone other than that one person.
Then, while you are on vacation, try to actually RELAX. Your brain, your body, your creativity, your innovation and your family depend on your ability to check out.
Also, remember that your business needs a break from you too. If you are always in charge, making every decision and not trusting anyone on your team to lead in your stead, then you aren’t giving your team or your business the best opportunity to grow. You should be out in the community making connections, thinking about the next growth opportunity, building better systems and more. If you are chained to the daily operations of your business, you, your business and your team are stifled. Preparing for a vacation is a chance to build systems – and trust – that can help your business be more successful in the future.
So whether your vacation is taking you to the beach, the mountains or your backyard, keep it on your schedule and don’t waste it. You need it and your business needs it.
If you feel like your business struggles to thrive without you, your Growth Coach can help you build those systems. Find your local coach at https://www.thegrowthcoach.com/find-a-coach.
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