Why Vacations Are Serious Business for Founders
Vacations are a serious business in my family, and I argue they should be for all founders.
It is a common practice among founders to take only one or two days off around weekends. Even if they carve out the time to go away for a week, they continue to check emails on the go or have video calls with clients and the team, and usually, that’s the most disconnected they get.
With all the responsibilities they have to handle on a daily basis, it can actually feel more stressful for them to be off the grid, and balancing the need to stay connected with the desire to explore the world or have a well-deserved time out can become a huge challenge.
Vacations are beneficial in many ways. In this article, we will delve deeper into why vacations are critical for high performers and how to overcome the myths that prevent them from taking that time out.
Physical Rest is what we first think about when we think about vacations. Whether sleeping in, lounging on a beach, or hiking in the mountains, it’s an opportunity to recharge your body, which is vital for maintaining long-term productivity and health. Research has shown that people who vacation more frequently have a lowered risk for metabolic syndrome and metabolic symptoms, which reduces their risk of cardiovascular disease.
Preventing burnout: Vacation allows us to diversify our mental tasks. While immersed in work, certain neural pathways are constantly engaged. Burnout can be a repetitive stress injury, which means using the same brain circuits repeatedly might lead to burnout. When we step away from the office, and into a more relaxing environment, we activate other parts of our brains. Our 'work neurons' can rest while our 'waterskiing neurons', our 'hiking neurons', or our 'drinking margarita by the pool neurons' can fully express themselves. Engaging these varied neural pathways not only gives our usual circuits a break but also enhances our brain's flexibility and resilience. Remember, you lose what you don't use!
Family Connections and Personal Growth: Traveling internationally and pushing yourself to the edge of your comfort zone fosters respect and connection within the family. I'm always awestruck by what my children can do when we ask them to engage in new experiences. This was especially significant when they were younger. For instance, our first international trip to Europe felt like a big adventure, and when our children were three and seven, we spent a whole month in Thailand. They had to deal with trying new flavors, navigating long days, and being surrounded by people who didn’t speak their language and had quite different cultures. These adventures helped us bond in unique ways, grow, and become more integrated as individuals and as a family unit.
And there are some benefits to your business, too!
Change of Perspective: During long trips, you gain a really different perspective on what is happening in your business. You suddenly start noticing patterns and things that you wouldn't have otherwise noticed while being stuck in the daily grind. You see things with new eyes. Once you're indoctrinated into a business culture, you kind of lose the ability to see what is not working. Going away for a while and coming back will really flag a lot of things, showing you what you’re doing wrong and what you’re doing right.
Enhanced Creativity: Founders are inherently creative people who build, make, and solve problems in novel ways. However, that novel creativity is easy to lose when you're in the grind. Being able to step away reshapes your perspective and reignites your creativity.
Increased Motivation: One unexpected benefit of vacations is the increased motivation to achieve short-term goals. Being an entrepreneur can feel like running a marathon at sprint speed: it's long and filled with setbacks and frustrations. Having these small goals can significantly increase emotional well-being. Research indicates that the anticipation of a vacation can boost emotional well-being before the trip. You’re anticipating laying on the beach, going on a safari, or even camping an hour from your house. Watching documentaries on Netflix or using Google Maps to explore destinations adds to the excitement and has real benefits by breaking the normal routine.
"But I'm the one who keeps the business running smoothly."
Many people believe their business will stagnate while they are away, thinking it won't continue to grow without them. If you are the driving force behind your business, then you might be doing something wrong. It can mean you’ve built yourself a job rather than a business, so you are working in your business instead of on it.
With proper planning and delegation, your team should be able to handle things in your absence. Having a backup plan is essential. You need to delegate responsibilities for specific actions in advance or ensure someone can reach you if they encounter issues they can't resolve. The reality is that catastrophic problems rarely occur, and they are even less likely to happen when you're on vacation.
If you're a solopreneur with just a couple of virtual assistants and one contractor, you might need to be more involved. Without a team, there's literally no one to handle tasks while you're gone. Even on vacation, people might need to reach you with an emergency number. In some cases, staying a bit connected can help manage anxiety and make you feel more engaged and present during your vacation.
How much to unplug?
If you take one short vacation a year, like a week or two, you should try to fully unplug and disconnect. However, if you take frequent trips, you might need to keep up with work a little. There’s often downtime, like when you’re in cabs or at the airport, where you can respond to urgent emails. The challenge is to do this without being constantly pulled into the work mindset. If you feel checking emails on the go snags your mind, making it hard to shift back to vacation mode quickly, blocking two or three hours for checking in might be the best approach for you.
Investing in experiences that help us connect with each other and our loved ones deepens and broadens us as people. By planning ahead, setting boundaries, and embracing the benefits of time away, you can return recharged and ready to tackle new challenges, which is ultimately better for the health of your business. This summer, make it a priority to take that well-deserved break.
Worried that your business will stagnate or suffer while you take a much-needed vacation? Contact ZenFounder to learn how we can help you integrate regular, rejuvenating vacations into your entrepreneurial life. Reach out at zenfounder.com/contact