In business, as we strive to accomplish our short-term and long-term goals, we sometimes forget to stop and look around. It’s especially true for small business owners, who constantly feel like they have more to do than they have hours in the day. The thing is, working harder isn’t always the most beneficial thing for your business.
I love the movie Ferris Bueller’s Day Off because while the story is about a teenager skipping school, there’s a real underlying message that you don’t have to be a kid to understand.
“Life moves pretty fast. If you don’t stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it.” — Ferris Bueller
It’s a saying that works for adults as well as kids. Numerous studies have found that when you come back from a vacation, you’re more productive, your morale is better and you’re healthier.
But even more than that, your relationships are stronger. That time you took off, is the time that you spent with your significant other, your family, your friends. They are your support group, the ones that lift you up when things aren’t going well, which is why keeping a strong relationship with them is so important.
So take a break. Just like you schedule time to improve your business, or start that project that you’ve been putting off, schedule time to take a break. Put it on your calendar and stick to it. Allot three hours on a Friday morning to take your significant other out to breakfast. Put away your phone at your daughter’s next softball game. Set aside a Saturday morning to take your son for a bike ride. Or meet your best friend for Friday night drinks. Whatever it is, make the time.
And while you’re taking that time, truly disconnect. Put the phone on silent. Resist the urge to check your email. File away that to do list for later. I think you’ll find that if you truly take a break and completely disconnect you’ll return refreshed and focused and your business will thank you for it.
Give it a try.
Written by Erika Towne