We’re more than halfway through the year, and suddenly many of us are starting to feel tired. It seems the world gets busier and we are packing more and more into our days. Not only do we seem to juggle more at work (let’s face it, we are several times more productive than we were two years ago!) we are trying to have it all – relationships, kids, families, friends – and while each of these parts of our lives are incredibly important, it sometimes seems like you never have time to do any of it really well and that something always suffers.
So if time is our enemy, then it stands to reason that sometimes, you need to stop time. Ok, not in the literal sense, but rather to stand still for a minute. Breathe, look at scenery, eat good food, and do nothing. Sound good? Well, not only does it sound good, it is good, particularly for your business.
If you didn’t already need convincing, here are three reasons why taking a break is good for business.
- Things looks smaller from afar
Sometimes when problems that look insurmountable or too damn big to change, you just need to create a little distance. The further away you get from them, the easier it is to see another way around, or a way through. This kind of opportunity only happens when you are not in the thick of things.
- Without time away you get stale
Like food left on the shelf too long, if you stay in the one spot without any outside inspiration, you tend to go stale. Your thinking is not as sharp and your response to situations can become formulaic. This is not good for business. Everyone needs a break, to recharge and come back with fresh thinking and new ideas.
- You see how good a team you have around you
If you go away and everything falls apart, then you know you have not built the right team around you. The sign of a quality business is one that can continue without its leader. So test your own structure and see how long you can get away without things going astray.
Finally, life is too short. Go on and enjoy it!
Vanessa Stoykov is the founder of No More Practice, and the founder of the parent company, evolution media group in 1999. She has over 20 years’ experience in financial services as both a journalist and business owner. She is an award winning chief executive who is passionate about creating education and communications to help the wealth industry and consumers fulfill their prosperity potential.
