7 Ways to Make Your Holiday Benefit Your Business

I’ve said this before and I will say it again: getting away from your business is good for business.
 

Are you the type of professional who never uses up all allotted holidays because they are “too busy” to get away, or a business owner who hasn't had a day off in 6 months?

Or are you the type who plans their year and priorities around travel, staycations, and extended long weekends? 

I am most definitely the latter.  I LOVE what I do at Boost Coaching, but I also LOVE spending time doing other things like hanging out with my kids, seeing the world, and floating on a Saskatchewan lake. 

If you feel like the “no time to take time off” group describes you better, I want you to consider switching teams.  It could be great for your business, and here’s why:

1. When you have limited time to complete tasks, you become more efficient with your time.  It’s common to get waaaayyy more done from a to-do list when you are working toward a vacation in 3 days.  The things that have been dragging on for weeks suddenly get completed.
2. Getting away from the day-to-day grind gives you a different perspective.  The clarity you can get on your life, business, and priorities is amazing when you get up and look around for a while.
3. Travel and adventure give you the opportunity to learn new things and see new ways of doing things, especially if you are a globetrotter and get to experience different cultures. You can bring back what you learn and apply it to your business.
4. Even if you stay close to home there’s a huge benefit to allowing your mind to rest. I have found that some of my best ideas, revelations, and solutions to problems have come to me when I was not actively thinking about business or the problem at all.  Your subconscious is still at work.
5. Getting away can help you realize how much of your business can run without you.  If things fall apart while you’re away (or if you feel you must be on call the entire time you’re gone so things don’t fall apart), you learn that you need to implement more effective systems and processes to keep things running smoothly next time.  Grab some tips on how to so here.
6. During your time off from work, you can set aside a bit of time to do some big-picture planning or thinking. Removing yourself from working in the business gives you some space to work on the business.  Some of my colleagues choose to spend some time journaling every morning over coffee during their holidays.  Not too structured, but a relaxed way to think, dream, and plan.
7. You can come back from your holiday feeling refreshed, recharged, and ready to focus back on your important work, resulting in less burnout, more productivity, and greater success.

So if you’re feeling guilty about leaving work behind for a much-needed break, or haven’t appreciated the good a holiday can do, I hope you start planning your next vacation, well, right now!