As a business owner, you’re going to hear that you gotta work nonstop and “take no days off.” From one business owner to another, that’s just going to make you miserable. Instead, let’s look at some of the different breaks you can take to recharge and stay ready for the work needed to grow your business.
Task Breaks
When I started Ro-Fig Solutions, I envisioned myself working from 7 AM to 7 PM. In fact, when I was commuting to a job I desperately needed to get away from, I thought of that 7-to-7 schedule as a dream.
Then came reality. Because I was just starting out, and my wife had a steady job, we were relying primarily on her income. That meant since I was not only working from home but also making my own hours, just about all responsibilities regarding our youngest daughter fell on me.
Suddenly, I was taking her to school, picking her up, taking her to extracurricular activities, etc. That 7-to-7 became a reality but it was a juggling act rather than 12 straight hours on my business.
I burned out pretty quickly. I was always dealing with my daughter, my business, or dinner, without any breaks throughout the day. I was moody with my daughter because I was always thinking about work. And work suffered because I couldn’t focus, especially in the afternoon.
Then I started coming across all the studies recommending breaks throughout the day and the methodology to create those moments. The most popular one is likely the Pomodoro technique, where you work on one task for 25 minutes and then take a 5-minute break before moving on to a new task.
You can try the Pomodoro technique, but it’s not for me. Sometimes it takes nearly 25 minutes just to get in a flow and I don’t want to walk away at that moment.
I like 90 minutes to mark breaks. After 90 minutes of focused work, pushing the laptop away to play fetch with the dog, take a walk around the block, or simply rest my eyes, is a welcome recharge.
Lunch Breaks
In corporate ladder culture, skipping lunch is often seen as the mark of a winner, a go-getter, someone on the rise. You may be rising in the company but your body is paying the price and your health is plunging about as fast as your status is climbing.
When I looked at the calendar for those “national day of” holidays, one day in particular caught my eye. June 24 was Take Back Lunch day. And I’ve seen way too many people skip lunches to take care of whatever emergency their work created in that moment to overlook this holiday.
We’ve all heard of the dreaded 3 PM crash. It used to happen to me nearly every day. And it was worse on days when I skipped lunch.
I don’t mean you should hit a drive-thru window and get a super-sized value meal. That will not help you beat that afternoon slump.
Your lunch break begins with something very important: walking away. Yes, this is a moment for you to physically, mentally, and emotionally leave your work behind while you do something else. This alone will revitalize you a bit for the second half of the day.
Next, comes the meal. A giant lunch won’t help you out, but if you get something light and nutritious, your body will thank you.
Even a bag of trail mix (go low on the sugar portion of your mix) or beef jerky can do you well. I went through a period where we’d hit up a local frutero (fruit stand guy) not far from the office and grab mixed fruit for lunch.
The final part of your lunch break can include exercise or rest, preferably both. If you have 20 minutes left, walk for ten minutes and take a power nap. Your body will be ready for the second half of your day and the work you left earlier will still be waiting, right where you left it.
Day Breaks
This is the one many business owners forget about but it’s the one that has served me the best throughout the years. Sometimes you need a random day off.
Weekends are supposed to be rest days, right? I’m a husband and a father of two girls. I also have a 5-month-old puppy.
Between getting to a few business tasks, helping my wife with laundry and groceries, DIY projects in the house, helping the kids with one thing or another, and trying to just be present, the weekend goes by in a blur and sometimes doesn’t feel like rest at all.
That’s why the weekend day off is so revitalizing. It doesn’t happen every week. It doesn’t even happen every month. But from time to time, taking a random weekday to relax is the perfect antidote to exhaustion.
This past week, I took a day off to hang out with my oldest daughter at the Los Angeles Arboretum. We took it easy, hung out with peacocks, and checked out plant life from all around the globe on a sunny day. It was a body and soul recharge.
Remember You Are Your Business
One of the best things about starting a business is knowing that when you work on yourself, you’re working on your business. Pay attention to your physical and mental health, and your business will also improve in the long run.
If you need help telling your business story and developing digital content for your business, I’m here and ready to help. All you have to do is contact me today to set up an introductory call.