How Entrepreneurs Should Really Rest and Recharge
The world of being an entrepreneur is far removed from the norm. There are so many different things pulling you in different directions. You have to be creative, productive, and resilient, and ensure that you are looking after everybody else at the same time. Is it hardly a surprise that people burn out after a few years? With all of the will in the world, so many entrepreneurs feel their ends are afraid. This is why entrepreneurs need to build in some form of rest, relaxation, or recuperation to ensure that they are always doing their best. But how do entrepreneurs take days off?
Building in Time Away
If there is one thing that is critical for an entrepreneur to thrive in their business, it is time away from it. Many entrepreneurs feel that their dedication to their business is what gives them that motivation to get up in the morning, so what happens when that motivation disappears? This is when everything becomes a slog and it feels like a job. The toughest task for many entrepreneurs is to actually step away from their business. But time away is critical for you to stay mentally fresh and make the right decisions.
In today’s professional world, having to feel like you are constantly plugged in can take a major toll on your health. While there are more common symptoms of stress like fatigue or anxiety, there’s also brain fog or memory loss. The solution to this? It’s very simple: a vacation. The great thing is that for many people in the entrepreneurial game is that they can actually afford to take good quality time away. There are many wellness resort living options for you to ensure that you’re not just unplugging by going somewhere, but you are indulging in yourself. Because being in charge of a business is having to be responsible for almost everything about your company, you need to make sure that you are firing on all cylinders, not just mentally, but emotionally as well.
Opting for Regular Downtime
Being in charge of a company means that you are constantly thinking about your business. And there are many business owners who seldom take vacations, if at all. Everybody needs to switch off for a specific period of time so they can refresh their brain. But if you feel that you cannot do this, the best approach is to set aside a tiny bit of downtime every week so you can recharge. The benefit of doing this is that you can implement it into your life no matter what you are doing.
Finding something that is for you is critical because if you are constantly having competing thoughts with regard to business ideas, the welfare of your staff, and every little thing that weighs heavy on you, you are never going to see the wood for the trees. Lots of entrepreneurs literally take a hike into the woods or go on a long sabbatical to feel far more rejuvenated. We have to remember that while downtime might not appear to be a realistic part of our schedule, we have to place it into our lives so we can constantly feel like we’re keeping on top of those things that could get the better of us.
Lots of people use some downtime as an excuse to catch up on emails. The rule should be that you do something that takes you away from every aspect of your work. Something like a long drive with music puts you into a meditative state or heading on a long motorcycle ride is going to take your attention away from those things that are constantly eating away at your thoughts.
Recognize What Your Weaknesses Are
So many entrepreneurs feel like they just need to keep going and this is what will give them the drive to succeed. The big problem with this way of thinking is that we are scared to stop in case things dry up. If you worry that your creativity or your ability to think dynamically will fall by the wayside because you have been working flat out for the best part of the year or longer, you now have the breathing space to look at those things that are holding you back. So many times we can think that if we stop, it will collapse.
In fact, you need those opportunities to stop so you can rest and recharge but also assess the things that aren’t working for you. One thing that many entrepreneurs do is engage in meditation. It is something that’s not for everybody but if you spend 10 minutes a day sitting in silence and meditating on a subject, you are learning to slowly quiet those voices in your head that are all competing with each other, but you can also emerge with some sense of clarity. The big problem for so many of us is that we are scared to find out if we have any weaknesses because this may result in everything collapsing under the weight of our insecurities or inefficiencies.
What we must remember is that resting and recharging is not just about having physical downtime but about mental downtime as well, and this is where the best ideas come or you have the opportunity to stop and take stock. Because running a business takes so much of our time and our mental resources, we need to remember that as businesses learn how to improve upon their current position, they can also do the same. This is why you should remember that looking for those weaknesses is not about admitting you are weak but about being practical with certain aspects of your personality or professionalism that will serve your business far better in the long run.
Do Not Forget the Basics
Because we have a lot to do, those simple habits that provide an amazing foundation fall by the wayside. Sleep, exercise, and nutrition are three simple things that don’t require much thinking. But from any person’s perspective where they think it’s far better to get the work done before going to sleep, having those rigid structures to allow for healthy meals, exercise, and quality sleep are pivotal.
The biggest problem most of us have is thinking that these are massive chunks of time or require a lot of forethought. Instead, think about building these into your life. Sleep is non-negotiable and you should have the right quality and quantity that suits you, but with regard to nutrition, you don’t need to think too much about it. Look at what your body and brain need and very simply give it. Exercise is another thing that you might think is not going to fit into your life because you simply don’t have time for it. Instead, look at breaking down a typical workout into a number of minuscule components. There’s a lot more research to show that exercising little and often is just as beneficial, if not more beneficial, than one major workout. There’s also evidence to show that you can do a major workout on the weekend and this can make up for a lack of it during the week. But if you want to think clearer, you would be better off opting for the little and often approach.
Look at the things that you can do at your desk. Desk isometrics is one thing but also think about maybe having a kettlebell in your office so you can do a few kettlebell swings. As long as you are doing just enough to keep you feeling fresh, this is all that matters. You don’t need to completely annihilate yourself because, ultimately, this won’t make you productive at all.
Do Not Skimp on Being Sociable
If there is one thing we should all build into our lives as an entrepreneur, it’s being more connected with friends, family, and like-minded individuals. Emotional support is essential and you can also benefit from a dose of realism. You will have friends that don’t want to hear you talking about every single stress about your business, but instead, use the opportunities with friends or family to step away from your business life.
You may have a lot of work-related concerns but everybody needs the opportunities to step back and realize that as things can get on top of us, we should use real mental and physical time away from our business as an opportunity to be a better person.
Your business is undoubtedly your baby and you may not be able to stop thinking about it but as you develop in a professional sense, you will need to have a better understanding of how you can serve your company better. We can be very precious about our businesses and think that we need to do what we can to protect them, and this means staying up later working ourselves to exhaustion, and making sure we don’t have a good life outside of it. But we all need to remember that if we look after ourselves, we can look after our business better.
Melissa Stewart is the founder of SheOwnsIt.com. She is a Purveyor of Possibility, Entrepreneur Advocate and Coffee Addict. She believes that behind every successful woman is her story. What’s your story?
