When you first decided to be an entrepreneur, did you daydream and drool over 80 + hour workweeks? Over missed family vacations? Groggy mornings following <4 hours of sleep?
I’m guessing (hoping) the answer is NO.
For most business owners, FREEDOM is near the top of the list of reasons why they decided to break the mold and branch out on their own.
And yet, the majority of entrepreneurs find themselves spinning the wheel of too much work, too little sleep, and too little time spent on the things that matter most, like health, happiness and family. Freedom!
The problem is…
Well…actually, there are several.
First, most entrepreneurs are DIY-ers. This is great when you’re first starting out and have fist-fulls of resources to pull out of your multitasking hat to get your business off the ground.
But when it comes to running and growing your business, wearing all the hats turns out to be heavy and inefficient as the weeks/months/years take their toll.
And being a DIAY-er (do-it-ALL-yourselfer) takes up your most precious resource…YOUR TIME.
And then there’s the “hustle” culture that we all see in news/social media/articles/conferences.
It’s the notion that if you’re not working morning-noon-and-night, and you’re not answering emails at 11pm, and you’re not always busting your you-know-what, well then shucks, you’re just not working hard enough.
And frankly, it’s B.S.
You are not a robot. You have so much more to offer than a robot.
Read more >> Why Being Busy Won’t Get You Clients
When you spend your waking hours working your socks off to maintain your business, it’s simply not possible to GROW your business.
To evolve and be better, you’ve got to give yourself space.
You need to remove yourself entirely from your business for a vacation.
For some of you, I’m sure the thought gives you chills. Eeeek!
But hear me out…
All work and no play makes you a dull entrepreneur.
It is in the best interest of your clients, your health, your relationships and your income if you take planned time to step away from your business.
You can only do GOOD work when you’re rested, recharged, and able to take a look at your business from outside of your itty-bitty day-to-day box.
So how do successful entrepreneurs do it?
Let me start by saying, YES, SUCCESSFUL ENTREPRENEURS TAKE VACATIONS.
Many, myself included, in fact find vacations the best time to make big business decisions — the ones that can steer a business-journey in new and game-changing directions.
For this reason, I’m going to preach to you that taking time off from your business is not a luxury, it is a necessity.
For all of us.
And there are ways to do it without hitting the pause button on your growth, without leaving your clients stranded, and without checking your phone every 15 minutes.
How To Set Yourself Up For Success In Taking Time Off From Your Business
Put Your Systems on Auto Pilot
Note: this does not apply ONLY to when you get outta town.
To make space in your work-life and keep the exhaustion and stress at bay, you need to develop automated systems that leverage your time and give you freedom to step away.
Automations are the antithesis of burnout.
By developing systems for your workflows and marketing, you’ll improve your productivity and even continue to generate leads when you’re away.
Want to know where to start when it comes to creating your automated business systems? Head over to >> How to Create Business & Marketing Systems to Leverage Your Time
Rally Your Support Team
I know, I know…the word “outsourcing” is like nails on a chalkboard for you DIAY-ers.
But if you ever want to be able to step away entirely from your business for days/weeks/months at a time, you need to have a team (or at least one person) in place who can jump in when you’re gone.
It’s not cheating (even though you might feel like it because you’re not doing it yourself).
It’s good planning and smart business.
You can hire subcontractors, virtual assistants, graphic designers, copywriters, bookkeepers…you name it.
They can all save you time and energy, while allowing you to make good on your promises to your clients even while you’re away.
And think of it this way: if you can’t truly step away from your work, then you don’t actually have a business. You have a job.
Honor your business by giving it the tools to succeed even when you’re not there. Let it spread its wings and fly.
Set the Expectation That You’ll Be Leaving
If necessary, give your clients/partners/employees/invested parties plenty of heads up that you’ll be unavailable for a period of time.
And/or let them know who’s captain-ing your ship while you’re gone.
Have a plan in place for day-to-day communication (who’s answering phone calls and emails), and a separate plan for emergency communication if needed.
If you like, you can also choose days and times you’ll be available to answer work questions while you’re away (ex: Thursday-Friday, 10am-11am).
This way, you won’t be tempted to work outside your dedicated hours, and clients can know when to expect a response from you.
Be Present
Most importantly, be present while you’re away.
Don’t dwell on work and feed your worry monster.
Squeeze all the goodness out of your time with friends, family, or just “you” time. Savor it. Marinate in it.
You won’t be able to truly recharge if you don’t.
Make memories, have fun, and reconnect with the reason why you chose to be an entrepreneur in the first place. Find your passion, find your freedom.
Then come back to your work with gusto.
Most People Equate Being Busy with Being Successful – It’s Not
Being busy for the sake of being busy actually keeps entrepreneurs from doing their best work.
Instead, you WILL get ahead by stepping back. I know it sounds and feels counterintuitive, but it works.
Make time to regroup and relax. And then grow your business. Repeat.
And if you want to talk more about creating your business systems, setting up automations, putting together a support team — any of it — let’s talk!
I’ll walk you through the strategies my clients use to free up their time and actually GROW their incomes while enjoying the lives they’ve always wanted.
It’s absolutely attainable, and I would love to show you how.
