Did you get away this summer on vacation? Good for you! What did you do? Play, get sunburned, sleep late, eat good food? Well yes you say, I did that between frequent check-ins to my smartphone and fielding a few calls from the office. You know work doesn’t stop when I go on vacation. Really? Why did you bother?
To be effective in our work endeavors we need time away.
I am not much of one for all or nothing but when we get away from it all we need to set some boundaries. As an entrepreneur, believe me, I know that work does not stop just because I am on vacation. Yet we must make an effort to manage the necessary office and client contact. This may mean setting aside time after breakfast with the family to check in and then once again before dinner. From personal experience, I know that electronic devices do not fare well in sand or water or horseback riding or fishing or other active endeavors. Leave them in the safe at the hotel and go have fun!
This need to unplug is not selfish but it is self-serving. Your brain and body need rest stops. Ever notice how some of your best ideas come when you get up from your desk to “walk down the hall”? The simple act of shifting your focus from a mental challenge to a physical need lets your mind unwind and easily find the solution or next bright idea. Think what a week away can do!
How can you incorporate more rest and rejuvenation into your life? As Americans, we think the appearance of idleness is shameful. Little do we know how wrong we are!