See also: Man swallowed whole by hippo in Kenya
Chances are that every time the idea of a vacation pops up you have
plenty of excuses as to why you cannot go. Perhaps you do not even
remember the last time you got away from your daily slog.
Actually,
taking a holiday is not a trivial thing that you can keep putting off
indefinitely. Not taking a vacation not only endangers your health but
you also put yourself at risk for early death. Various studies including
one on coronary heart disease risk factors have put this fact beyond
any doubt.
In fact for those who think that taking a vacation is
a waste of money the opposite is true. Time away is ideal preventive
medicine that will save you health care dollars on numerous stress
related diseases. Other studies have shown that taking time out
re-energizes and boosts performance which means making more money rather
than losing it in what some see as a frivolous activity.
So… How Do You Find The Time To Get Away?
===
The
advise to business owners is to schedule vacations well in advance
preferably at the start of the fiscal year. This is the time to figure
out what time of the year will be best for you to get away with minimal
worries that something may go wrong while you are relaxing somewhere.
Block
out the vacation week on your calendar and take it as seriously as any
other business event you have scheduled for the year. Experts advise
blocking out your vacation with a bright, cheerful color which is a
psychological ruse that works magic.
Do Your Vacation Work Early
===
Preparation
is quite often 90 per cent of the job or task at hand. This mindset
will be a great help in preparing for your great getaway. Rather than a
mad hectic rush in the last week before you leave, spread it over
several months. For instance you can block out say half an hour every
two weeks to focus on work or stuff that will make it easier for you to
be away. You should use the same bright color on your calendar that you
have used to block out your vacation.
Start Dealing With Your Delegation Concerns Now
===
Issues
of trust and delegation are the major reasons why many business owners
will not take that vacation. They just cannot trust other people with
key activities of the business. This is in fact easier to overcome than
most people think. All you need to do is to start delegating small tasks
right away. You can then build up to more important jobs so that by the
time your vacation arrives it will hardly be a concern for you.
Don’t Forget To Prepare Your Customers
===
A
month or two before you are due for your holiday start informing your
customers. You can even send an email, letter or card to your best
customers. Be sure to let them know whom they can contact in your
absence.
There is nothing that can dampen your mood more than an
anxious call from a customer when you are supposed to be relaxing and
not thinking about your business.
Feeling Anxious Is Okay
===
If
after all the careful plans you still worry occasionally during your
vacation, do not panic. It is natural to feel uneasy at some point but
do not allow the thoughts to weigh you down and interfere with your time
away. Just remember that things could still have gone wrong even if you
were there in the first place.
It is also not a bad idea to
think a little about work while you are vacationing. This is actually
the best time to come up with great ideas that will help improve your
business.
The Alternative: Burn Out
===
The alternative to
ignoring any idea of a vacation is burn out. Being burned out happens
when your job is your main and only focus. Signs include emotional,
physical and mental exhaustion, shame and doubt setting in over your
abilities, cynicism and finally; failure, helplessness and a serious
crisis.
The last stage of burn out can be particularly
devastating. Little things that never used to bother you become an
irritating nightmare and your psychological defenses come down leaving
you an irrational mess.
You really do need that vacation, even if it is just a long weekend away.
