09 Apr Entrepreneur Tip of the Week: Find Your “Me” Time

Work/life balance (or as I like to call it work/less work balance) is critical to succeed in the marathon that is building an exciting company. In addition to spending time with family, it is very important to find time for the things you enjoy on your own to unwind and recharge. A nap, a spa treatment, even a relaxing bath can make all the difference. Others a bit more stressed out may find a few days away can bring you back more energized and maybe even with some new ideas that you didn’t have time to think about otherwise.

I try sometimes to add even a few hours on some business trips that are unscheduled to allow me that chance to enhance my focus. I might walk around and window shop, sit by a pool or maybe a massage. Dinner out with a friend also can help you relax and gain a little perspective. A client of mine, on the verge of burning out, with his wife’s permission disappeared to a mountain retreat for two weeks. He biked, hiked, kayaked and slept quite a bit. He came back, happy, with renewed energy and a yellow pad full of thoughts about improving his business.

Does it seem selfish to take time just for yourself? Absolutely! But do it anyway. And read more about it in my new book, The Entrepreneur’s Growth Startup Handbook, available now on pre-order at Amazon.com.