Small business owners are the hardest workers in America. They work tirelessly and oftentimes thanklessly, all for the sake of the people they serve. Plumbers, Landscapers, Hairdressers, Restaurateurs… these folks make the world go round. But they are also some of the most exhausted people in America, thus, the old adage, “No rest for the weary.”
But there must be rest for the small business owner. There must be opportunities for respite, refreshment, and reinvigoration. If not, burn out will come nipping at your heels. But there are other important reasons to take the time to rest.
Reflection
Without taking the time to rest, an entrepreneur will not have the opportunity (or the bandwidth!) to reflect on the successes and failures of the past. When your nose stays fixed to the grindstone, successes go un-celebrated. This is okay in the short-run, but long-term, it’s unhealthy to push so hard that you never take a moment to revel in your success. In the same vein, if you’re working ceaselessly with your head down, you might not realize that there are more effective and efficient ways to do things. Reflection is essential and reflection can only be done in tandem with rest.
Reverie
Dreams are the fuel of the entrepreneur. Without rest, there can be no dreams. Don’t let yourself get so exhausted that you lose the ability to dream.
While it may seem like a waste of time when there is so much to do, rest is not only essential for you to maintain balance in your life, it is the key to the success of your business.