The year is coming to an end, and for a lot of us it seems like just yesterday that we were wrapping presents and budgeting for holidays. Entrepreneurs, business owners and teams look forward to unplugging and unwinding. However, holidays too can come with their fair share of stress and many people return to work not feeling rested and requiring a holiday from their holiday.
As a business coach, I can tell you that many business owners and diligent teams glorify the 24/7 hustle. We erroneously applaud digging in and finding those extra reserves. And while this may be admirable at times, we actually build resilience better by taking time to recharge.
What is resilience?
According to the American Psychological Association, “resilience is the process of adapting well in the face of adversity, trauma, tragedy, threats or significant sources of stress.”
Why is resilience important to your success?
According to researchers, the most resilient business founders see setbacks as puzzles they are equipped to solve. When entrepreneurs combine this mindset with proactive behaviours, their odds of business survival increase by 129%. 129% – that is ALL the difference.
The problem with the 24/7 hustle mentality is the “never give up, keep fighting harder, no time to waste.” mantra. These attitudes do not allow us the mental space for the nuance of creative problem solving and viewing obstacles as challenges that stretch and grow us. At worst these attitudes can cause us illness and render us ineffective.
So, as you go on holiday, I urge you to make space for intentional recovery. View rest with the same rigor you give to your business, not as a time to catch up on leftover work.
At the same time, rest doesn’t mean binging TV or staying in bed. As Alex Soojung-Kim Pang writes in his recent book, Rest, recovery isn’t the same as time off:
“We get the most from breaks when we do things that are relaxing, that let us experience control and mastery and that provide a sense of detachment from our working lives. Recovery is active, not passive and we can design it to get greater benefit.”
It would then be a good idea to plan a holiday that is not high maintenance: not too far to travel, with people you enjoy spending time with not people you merely tolerate and one that is kind to your pocket.
With proper recovery, you will build resilience to face the opportunities and challenges that 2020 is likely to throw at you.
If you are hoping to have a great 2020, perhaps it’s time to invest in your hopes and dreams by working with a business coach to ensure they become a reality. I am taking a break, but I am always available to chat to business owners who are serious about taking their business to the next level.
Want a free consultation? Then why not send us an email today at info@bizhq.co.za.
