Taking Time Off (gasp!) in 5…4…3…2…1!

If you’re an entrepreneur or professional or parent or any other type of “busy” person then taking time off is not a luxury…it’s a job requirement.

Say what?

Let me repeat myself.

Taking time off from your regular responsibilities and commitments is necessary, critical and life giving if you want to keep going. If you want to be creative. If you want to be inspired. If you want to remain healthy (body, mind AND spirit!).

I can hear you sputtering now. “What? That’s crazy! Who has time? Who has the money for that? There’s no way I can take time off. My family/boss/co-workers/spouse/friends would think I’m crazy – or even worse, lazy.”

Then, as you ponder this idea some more, I suspect quiet whispers are creeping in… “well, maybe I could take a day off. Or a week. But never a month. Gosh, a whole month? Wouldn’t that be divine? I wonder if I could actually swing that?”

Now that I’ve planted the seed, I simply want you to noodle on this for today. Or for a few days.

And if you need help deciding if you really would benefit from time off, here are a few things to help you.

5 Key Warning Signs that you Need Time Off:

1. Poor decision making: Fuzzy Brain: your brain is just not functioning well and hasn’t been for a while.

2. Incomplete projects (lots!): so overwhelmed that you are paralyzed, you can’t get anything done.

3. Feeling stuck, like you’re swimming in circles and don’t have many options… seeing your business and life the same old way.

4. You’re bored and not having fun at work anymore.

5. Your relationships are suffering: with clients, family, friends, self.

4 Key Benefits of Taking Time Off:

1. Deep rest – true rest, clearer head, healing – why do you think kids have recess and summers off? They need to rest their brains! Europeans have 4-6 weeks of vacation each year and in some countries they take siestas during the day… hello?!

2. Perspective – stepping back can give you fresh eyes on many situations and relationships in your life.

3. Creativity – take time to read, do creative projects, think, walk, let your mind wander and daydream.

4. Listen to your intuition – new ideas/directions – having that space will allow new ideas to come in that will help you change the course of your business and life.

3 Kinds of Time Off that can make a BIG difference to your bottom line

1. G.O.D. Days – Goof Off Days – Years ago, a girlfriend and I used to mark out one day per month on our calendars and plan G.O.D. Days. They were days to play, to explore, to learn something new. So freshing and so inspiring. They infused our businesses and our lives and our friendship with richness, creativity and joy.

2. Week Long Retreats – An entire week is a terrific amount of time to devote yourself to your rest and renewal. The best years I’ve had in business (13 years now) are the years where I took myself on a week long retreat in the fall to plan ahead for the following year. I usually spend the first three days unwinding and decompressing. Then the next three to four days are for letting my creative spirit soar and the ideas literally come flooding in so fast I can barely capture them in writing.

3. Month (or longer) Sabbatical – If you have the luxury of the time and resources to do this, I highly recommend it. Sometimes even if you don’t have the luxury of the time and resources to do it, it’s good to do it any way. If you’re really in a stuck place or completely tapped out, taking an entire month to recharge is absolutely worth feeling the pinch in the short term so that you’ll experience the gain in the long term. Whenever I’ve taken a month or more off from my regular life, I’ve had dramatic life-altering shifts in my life and in my work.

2 Easy Ways to Identify the Perfect time of year for you to take time off

1. Seasonal – depending on what part of the country you live in… summer is often time for families and winter is time for introspection and going within.

2. Businesses tend to be cyclical and do slow down on occasion – Look at your P & L statements for the last few years… if you know that you have a slump in business during certain weeks or months, plan your time accordingly.

1 Simple Process to Start Planning Your Getaway Today!

1. Give Yourself Permission. This is where the rubber meets the road, folks. This is where it can all begin. We spend so much time worrying about what others will think but ultimately it’s all about how YOU think about YOU.

2. Organize your Priorities – What do I need? For example: I need time away NOW, I need to be away from clients, family, I need the ocean, I need to spend very little money, I need spiritual renewal, I need intellectual stimulation, I need to be creative, I need movement, I need to clean my house.

3. Do it Now – Plan it Today! lie down on the Earth, look at the sky and listen to the trees. there is wisdom there for you.

   a. Determine your budget

   b. Pull out your calendar

   c. Research possible locations

   d. Discuss with loved ones to get them on board

   e. Commit. – Block off the time. Book the date and location.

Remember, this is an investment in YOU and the future of your business and life.

Inspired Action: Take time to journal about the possibilities of taking time off. Don’t worry about it being “realistic” or “unattainable”. Simply write about how wonderful it would be to give yourself the gift of time away from your day to day to relax, refresh and renew. AND write about what you’d gain by taking this time away. Then, sit with it for a while and then ask yourself some serious questions – Can I really do this? If so, what’s feasible? When can I go? and one by one, the pieces will fall into place.