Take a Break to Be Your Best

“A little nonsense now and then is relished by the wisest men.”

    ~ Roald Dahl

You get up. You get dressed. Whether it’s downtown or just down the hall, you go into the ‘office’ and get ready to start your day. You spend most of it solving problems, both your own and everyone else’s. At the end of the day, you go home (or back down the hallway) to get some well-earned rest.

Rinse and repeat. Welcome to the life of a typical small business entrepreneur. Even though you wouldn’t have it any other way, you have to admit it can be a bit of a grind sometimes. Maybe it’s time to take a break.

There are several good reasons. The first and most obvious one is burnout. No matter how dedicated you are to your objective, there will come a time when the thought of looking at yet another stack of invoices or yet another project is more than you can bear. You started your business because you loved what you do. Taking a break can keep the honeymoon going.

Your mind is not the only thing that can get burned out. People who work all the time are less likely to get the movement and exercise they need to stay healthy. “Healthy body, healthy mind”  is an age-old saying for a good reason. When your body isn’t feeling up to par, it can make even mundane chores around the office feel like a slog.

When was the last time you worked on your stamp collection, sharpened up your golf game or caught up on the backlog of your favorite shows? If you have to think too much about it, it means it’s been too long. Hobbies are a great way to relieve stress and exercise your mind in areas other than what you do for a living.

Speaking of hobbies, what can the game of golf or completing Level 29 of your favorite video game teach you about life and business? The answer is quite a lot. Many of the most successful entrepreneurs are passionate about things outside of work. They then bring the wisdom they learn from those experiences back to the office with them, often with renewed energy and focus.

Finally, and most importantly, there are your friends and family. When you work all the time, you miss out on them. Eventually they may get the hint that you’re not interested in them and stop asking you to spend time with them. When you finally find the time, they’re no longer interested. It’s a vicious cycle you don’t want to start.

So while you’re going downtown or down the hall, take the time to make the occasional detour. It can boost your productivity and more importantly, your quality of life.