I miiiiight be a bit of a workaholic, so…anyone who knows me well, is probably laughing at the title of this blog. Whatevs. I keep explaining to people that most workaholics are workaholics because they love what they do. That’s certainly true in my case. No matter how much you love what you do, though, you owe it to yourself – and your company – to occasionally take a break from your small business. Here are five good reasons why:
- It gives your employees a chance to show you their stuff. If you’re always breathing down their neck, micro-managing, and double-checking their work, they probably haven’t had a real chance to put their best foot forward. Spend a day outside the office and let them show you how well they can do on their own and how smart you were to hire them in the first place.
- A day away from your business gives you the chance to come back at it with a fresh eye and a new perspective. When you’re in your business every day, it can be easier than you think to overlook little details. Taking a break and getting a change of scenery gives you the chance to come back to it, realize what’s working, understand what needs to be changed, and gain needed objectivity.
- All work and no play make everybody dull, not just Jack. At least once a quarter, take a break for no other reason than because you deserve it. In 2018, I took my birthday off for the first time in a gazillion years – and it felt great. I lounged around, took a long, hot, relaxing bath, and spent the day with my handsome guy. Totally, totally worth it.
I know for sure that your work will wait patiently for you to get back to it – mine always does. What will you do with the free time you create when you take a break from your small business? Don’t do anything business-related, please. Take some much-deserved personal time, read a book with no redeeming business value at all, go for a walk through your city, or simply sleep the day away. If you do, I promise to try to take an occasional break from my biz, too.