Time Out

I was reminded this morning by my mentor and close friend to take time out regularly, and to have this time in my planner and make it happen.

Well, I know only too well we have to take time out when we are solopreneurs. This is something I chat with my clients about very often. However are you also guilty of sharing what you know you must do, and then thinking you are ok and this suggestion or rule does not apply to you?
I know I am from time to time!!
Having said that I have not hit burn out in seven years and do take time out each day to manage my exercise, health, eating healthy food, getting away from the laptop and outdoors, and making sure I sleep enough hours each night and drink plenty of water.
Then from time to time, there are exciting things in business that make it all feel as though business is not business. I started telling my friends I was writing instead of calling it work so they wouldn’t give me a hard time about all the hours I work because to me, this is not work, it is something I enjoy.
And then it creeps up … that feeling of exhaustion and simply you can hardy keep your eyes open let alone concentrate and be creative with what ever you need to do. Your body tells you it’s had enough and your days are more pearshaped instead of the ideal vision you had when you woke up.
An aside – I worked with an accountant at one time who had a white board in a small room where there was a printer, stationary and reference books were, well out of sight of his clients. He used this whiteboard to let out his feelings for the day. In the morning there was often a scene of a beautiful sparkly ocean view with pristine white sand, palm trees waving in the gently breeze and birds soaring up above in the clear blue sky and suns rays.
Well as the day wore on, the scene changed into a raging storm, coconuts being blown off the palms, bird feathers strewn on the ground and birds struggling to fly in the stiff wind. There would be fighter-bombers coming in from one side and lightening coming in from another. Dark clouds filled the sky and hail stones rained down on the unsuspecting sunbathers. I could almost hear the roar of the scene when I walked in. Then I walked out as quickly because if this was an indication of the mood he was in, I didn’t want to be in the firing line. It was around about now I realised this overworked accountant surely needed a holiday. Even though he took his frustrations out by drawing wonderful scenes on the whiteboard, he was clearly way past needing time out.
Make a pact with yourself that this year you WILL take time out to keep yourself sane, healthy and able to continue working. As I have learnt a short time each day is fantastic, but nothing like taking a couple of days away from your laptop and time with your phone set to Aeroplane Mode!
Often all you need is to get away for a couple of days or a weekend and you feel as though you’ve had a holiday for a month.
Set up your business so as much as you can is automated and then you can take to the skies (or the road) and enjoy some well earned time out. If you are telling yourself you cannot afford the time or money, this does not have to be a five star holiday surely. Be creative and do something just for fun.

When was the last time you did that?
Going back to what I was reminded of this morning, the image with this is taken in Port Douglas a couple of years ago and was the first painting I had painted since being at school. It took an hour, and that hour seemed to me as though I had taken a holiday. I was creative, something I need each day – usually with my photos – I had my phone off and was away from my laptop.
The sun still rose the next morning and my business was still running.
Port Douglas was a work and holiday stay at the time, and that environment for me is just perfect for working and for taking time out.
The planner I use is now regularly dotted with timeout so I don’t burnout.
If it is in the planner it happens!!
Keep taking time out and doing more of what you love.
M x