4 Reasons Successful Entrepreneurs Take Regular Breaks
Jan 01, 2024
Are entrepreneurs allowed to take breaks?
The myth is that taking a break means you’re not serious about growing your business.
“The faster you run, the more you'll get done.”
Right?
But taking a break is good for business and for your mental health.
Here are 4 reasons why entrepreneurs should be taking regular breaks. And they are all highlights from 4 previous Buckets & Boom Gates Podcast episodes.
Read more to learn how to successfully navigate those breaks so you are on your A-game when it’s time to get back to business.
You Need To Recharge Your Entrepreneurial Batteries
Should entrepreneurs be like little energizer bunnies that keep going and going and going?
If you're not stopping to rest, you’re in danger of burning out. And then who will show up for your clients and all the people in your community?
“Even an energizer bunny needs a nap once in a while.” Kim White
When you are putting so much into your business, there will be a time in the day when you need to take a nap or just shut down for a little bit.
But what does taking a break look like when you’re a super productive entrepreneur?
You need some kind of disruptor. Things like taking a nap, eating something really good for you, or taking a walk are great disruptors.
Break time should be all about taking the pressure off and getting yourself back together.
That means no obligations to anyone and no 'have to’s' for this little bit of time. It’s all about you.
When you take a break to recharge your batteries you can serve your clients better and that’s at the heart of being a successful entrepreneur.
Recovery Time Is Crucial In Entrepreneurship
Entrepreneurship is just like a rollercoaster! There’s panic going up, panic going down, sometimes screaming with excitement, sometimes crying because you're scared. You feel all the emotions.
“Confession: we are addicted to the entrepreneur rollercoaster!” Kim White
But for a long time it wasn't an acceptable thing for an entrepreneur to share any emotions. If you did, you weren't 'good enough' to be a business owner.
The truth is that we all go through ups and downs on the daily, on the weekly, and on the yearly. We’re all human and it’s OK to admit it.
'Melty' is the state of escalated emotions that comes from being human when you've had something really good or really bad happen. It can come from trauma, but also celebrations and milestones, and even physical energy exertion.
There's also a level of melty that comes from putting yourself out there and being vulnerable. It’s not always easy to allow other people to see your human, hear your stories, and be part of your life.
When you’re melty, your emotions are escalated and your bandwidth is lowered. It’s really important to watch your tongue, and not make any big decisions at this time.
In fact, it’s the perfect time to take a break. Put yourself into a little bubble of recovery rather than trying to avoid the emotion or worse, continue into a spiral of all those emotions.
You don't have control over the melty part. But you do have control over the recovery, so you can set yourself up to recover in a safer way. Taking a break to "guard your melty” is so important when you want your business to succeed.
Entrepreneurs Need A Sounding Board
Entrepreneurs brains are full of ideas. Some are great and some might not be worth repeating.
When the pressure is off and you give yourself a break, you have time to unpack all the ideas floating around in your head.
But before you start unpacking all the ideas, think carefully about who you are sharing your ideas with.
Find someone who knows you very well. It may be your family, it may be a friend, but it has to be someone who knows how to listen well.
Who do you have the opportunity to say things out loud to? Who is your entrepreneurial supporter?
You need to hear your ideas out loud so you can unpack them, and see if they should go on your to do list or your “have coffee” list so that you aren't losing those great ideas that will grow your business.
Carefully Consider Your Business Collaborations
Collaborating in your business is very special. When you collaborate on something, especially on a high level, you get exponential results. Results for you, your co-collaborator and whoever the end goal benefits. It’s a win-win-win!
When you take regular breaks in your business, and guard your melty and recovery time, you can be mindful of the type of collaborations you get into.
What should you consider when choosing your collaboration?
- Connect with people who are generous. Not people who elbow their way to the front, or just want to 'showboat.'
- Start with smaller projects. Give yourself time to gel together and to test the waters.
- Make sure you really do have the same goals.
- Choose collaborators with honest and open communication.
“It's not something everyone knows how to do, but it is something everyone can learn how to do." Kim White
Everyone should consider doing collaborations because they're so amazingly successful when you do them the right way. They are at the heart of a growing business.
When you take regular breaks, you can choose collaborations that will grow your business and help your business succeed.
When you are taking regular breaks, your business can grow and grow, and keep growing.
You can show up for your clients, sort through your ideas, and invest in fruitful collaborations.
Why not listen to the full Buckets & Boom Gates Podcast episodes next time you take a break?
And if you’re ready to join a community of entrepreneurs who are serious about being human while building a successful business, join our Groundwork Brigade.
If you missed the conversation between Kim and Kerry on their podcast Buckets and Boom Gates, you can catch it here.
To connect with Kerry Zarb go straight to her website www.kerryzarb.com and you’ll find her there!
And to connect and find out more about Kim or how to create a sexy business for a sexy life, you can reach her and the My Sexy Business Team at www.mysexybusiness.com.
