Article written by Rebecca Di Noia, Business Advisor, Western Sydney Business Centre.
Holiday? What is that you might ask?
As a business owner, business is our life – you think about it and talk about it while you are awake and business issues most likely keep you up at night when you are trying to sleep.
In every living moment of life, you are either trying to reach more customers, serve existing customers, or catch up on paperwork during the weekends; the busier you get, the less time you feel you have on your hands.
You feel like a hamster running around a wheel with nowhere to go. Sound familiar?
Many years ago, I was given a $350 Westfield voucher as a gift. Knowing how hard I had been working at the time, my hubby suggested I go out and do something for myself for a day.
It turned out to be the most painful day of my life, mentally.
As I sat on a chair, in the middle of a Westfield Shopping Centre, I was not thinking about how to spend the money; rather, I was thinking about how many emails I could have answered or how much money I would have made or saved if I was back in the office working.
The business was growing, but I was on the road to becoming a workaholic and not even realising it.
It has been reported that Bill Gates, while he was the boss of Microsoft, would take what he called a “think week”. He will take one week, two times a year, in a cabin inside the forest to spend time by himself with no other distractions; to focus, plan, and clarify his strategies for Microsoft.
Sometimes we are so fixated on those loud voices in our surroundings to find direction, that we forget the very guidance we are seeking comes from a soft, inner voice inside our heart.
This holiday season, why not try to spend a few days by yourself to ask:
– What are my goals for me and my family?
– How is my business able to help me achieve those goals?
– What steps or strategies do I need to implement in my business within the next 12 months?
Business should be a vehicle to help you reach your destination, not the actual destination itself.
Take a break – Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!