Business owner burnout is an epidemic. Our society values entrepreneurs and business leaders who work tirelessly to build success, but working 80 hours a week, never seeing your family and never having a free second without feeling on call is exhausting. There are articles all over the internet – including this blog – about the importance of taking vacations, making sure your staff can run the business without you, etc., but sometimes finding that right time to leave town is tough, especially in the early days of building your business.

That’s why this time we want to talk about something a little more simple – setting aside time for yourself and for your family without spending a week on the beach.

Take out your calendar… Are there days when you can head into the office a little later and spend an extra hour reading on the patio? Could you take a long lunch to get a pedicure? Is there a weekend you could go camping without being on call? Could you take a day off to surprise your kids with a trip to the zoo? Could you and your significant other spend a couple of nights in the city without worrying about the business?

If the answer is yes, then while you have your calendar out, book those appointments with yourself and stick to them. Don’t reschedule if you don’t absolutely have to and don’t feel guilty about taking the time you need to take care of yourself and be with your family. You didn’t launch a business to have a really demanding job – you launched a business to be a business owner.

If the answer is no, then it’s time for a change. We are just asking for you to think about small breaks – not long vacations. And if you can’t even take a small break, then what happens if you win a trip to Jamaica or you have a medical emergency? It’s time to put systems and staff members into place that can help you take a step back so you can work ON the business instead of IN the business. Your local Growth Coach can help: https://www.thegrowthcoach.com/find-a-coach.