How Rest Can Supercharge Your Entrepreneurial Goals
As we finish the summer and get ready to face a fall calendar that seems to be ever filling up, I’m thinking about September with excitement. I’m looking forward to getting back to a different routine. One that includes seeing more people, speaking engagements and a more structured work routine.
Avoiding Burnout
Avoiding burnout as entrepreneurs is something we don’t often think about. According to a BDC survey from 2023, 45% of Canadian entrepreneurs indicated that they felt mental health challenges. Given these rising numbers, let’s talk about the benefits of rest in business.
Rest is essential for maintaining productivity, creativity and our overall well-being. We can’t hustle all the time – we need to remember that entrepreneurship is a marathon, not a sprint and treat it accordingly. It might feel like it’s impossible to take time off. This is exactly the time we should be. If we want to chase our long-term big gorgeous goals, we need to rest up and ready ourselves.
When we prioritize rest, we perform better. We are faster, sharper and accomplish more. Short-term sleep deprivation can wreak havoc on your ability to get things done. Long-term, it can lead to cognitive decline. None of us want that, but it can seem hard to prioritize taking the time you need to rest and restore yourself.
We all need physical rest, taking enough time for sleeping. But as entrepreneurs, we also need to disconnect from work to rest our brains. This allows us time for emotional recovery, and for creativity to seep back in. We are constantly using our skills around innovation and problem-solving, and rest helps us to keep these at their peak.
Creating space for rest
When we plan out our year or our quarter, scheduling time for rest is an important component. Honouring that calendar appointment is even more critical. In my experience, I have been able to move towards my goals faster and more efficiently, when I have enough time away to recover, imagine and shut out the world for a little while.
All this might feel a wee bit uncomfortable. I think as leaders, prioritizing rest and stepping out of our comfort zones to embrace rest as a key part of our success strategy is important. It’s also important for our teams to see that we prioritize our own health and well-being. While you might feel guilty at first, once you practice a few times you will start to realize how the benefits are outweighing the perceived downside.
To accomplish all this, make sure that you are creating the space you need in your calendar for rest. When we need to sprint, because a project is launching or an important event is happening, be sure to build rest into your schedule afterwards. Schedule it. Do it now.
Working from home? Try steps like closing your office door when you leave for the day. Don’t have a dedicated office? Cover up your computer/desk with a light tablecloth or blanket when you’re done. Working from the dining or kitchen table? Put away your work stuff, out of sight when you are finished. These simple steps can help you create a physical barrier between work and rest.
So, maybe you’ve read all this and are thinking – summer’s nearly over and you haven’t yet rested. That means it’s time to open your calendar and schedule yourself a couple of days. Can you extend a weekend and get 4-5 days in a row off? Block it in your calendar. It’s never too late to start over.
