Pause For Profit: The Benefits Of Taking A Business Break To Recharge
VOLUNTARY PAUSES ARE LESS STRESSFUL - TAKE THEM!
In the spirit of today being a holiday, I would like to talk about the value of taking a step back to take several steps forward. Perhaps, today was not a voluntary holiday for you and simply a matter of circumstance. Either way, it is my hope that you use this time to take a break to reflect and recharge. Even if it is only for a small part of your day, give yourself an opportunity to regroup. I recently did a huge brain dump of my entire life from home projects, to business to personal. I documented everything that I could think of that I want to do, have, purchase and make a ritual. I further organized them by the length of time required to complete. Then, I went a step further and created daily, weekly, monthly, quarterly and annual reminders in an app. It took the better part of a day, but I ended that day feeling relieved but also inspired and hopeful for the future. I intentionally took control of my mental load and made it more manageable and not as overwhelming. Perhaps you will not do all that I did, but taking some time to pause can help you with:
Recharging the batteries
Gaining clarity and insight
Enhancing productivity and efficiency
RECHARGING THE BATTERIES
Sometimes we can only associate recharging our batteries with a vacation to a tropical island but that is only one way to do so. We can take opportunities daily to take a break, relax and separate from work -- even during the workday. It may look like taking a walk in nature, meditating or taking a power nap. It can also look like taking time before or after you work to read a good book or indulge in a hobby. What you decide to focus on is absolutely your choice. Just make sure that you are making that choice regularly. Unfortunately, most of us are working hard most (if not all) of the time and only find ourselves at rest when our bodies finally wear down from illness, extreme fatigue or a combination of both. If that is your pattern, this is written specifically with you in mind. Remember that in order to continue working you have to be here and you have to be healthy. So, start small with the ultimate goal of scheduling your breaks and guarding them with strong boundaries.
GAINING CLARITY AND INSIGHT
How do you solve really difficult problems that seem completely unsolvable? If you're not taking your mind off of the problem, you're doing yourself a huge disservice. Often, when I am struggling with a problem I'm desperately trying to solve, I turn away from it completely. I find that when I refocus on something that is simple or easy to do, my mind relaxes and sometimes the answer comes during that time. I may even figure out other problems that I left alone prior to the one at hand. Our minds cannot stay on constantly and remain effective. Just like we need to restore our bodies with sleep, our minds require the same. We also deserve to free our minds up as much as possible in order to be creative and more intuitive. David Allen talks about this in his iconic book, Getting Things Done. Basically, our minds are not designed to hold tons of information. We must free our minds of the things we are worried about and the mental clutter of all the things that need our attention. Write everything down or document electronically and organize. When we do this, it is then that we can truly have the capacity to gain the clarity and insight needed to be our best in business and in life.
ENHANCING PRODUCTIVITY AND EFFICIENCY
While in the thick of your work, it's a lot more difficult to assess where you started, where you are and where you are going. Finding effective tools can give you the objectivity needed to gauge progress and manage your goals. So, while you are unengaged in your work, decide what you would like to track and select the tool(s) that will best assist you with staying consistent and accountable. Of course, finding the tool(s) is only half the battle. The other half is actually usingthem. This will require some trial and error. Just make a decision and try. Then, make adjustments along the way even if that means going back to square one until you find the right fit. Once you find what works, you will begin to experience gains in productivity and efficiency because you have done the work and simplified a major part of your life. An extra bonus is that some of your tools can assist you with other aspects of your life as well even though just making changes in business will have a ripple effect, in general. More often than not, it will be your income.
If any of this is resonating with you and you would like some support with regrouping and reprioritizing in order to increase your earning potential, book a Strategic Consultation with Intentional Professionals. We are always excited to help others along their journey and get results!
Sincerely,
-M