Location: Home Office – Reading / Viewing Time: 4-5mins
As entrepreneurs its sometimes hard for us to switch off and recharge our batteries. But, we must. I recently posted an article on My Top 10 Entrepreneurial Health Tips and after getting feedback on the relaxation side of things, I felt like I wanted to elaborate on it a little – especially as I was recently in Miami and did a LOT of relaxing (or chillaxing, as my daughter tells me!), as you can see in the quick video I shot, above!
The fact of the matter is that business owners are a pretty strange breed. We want to be the boss, to work for ourselves and to be able to have people work for us. We want to call the shots and obviously have the ‘power’ to be able to work as and when we feel like it. However, as the world becomes a tougher place to do business in and the market place (regardless of what industry you are in) becomes more competitive, chances are you are working way too many hours – much more than you should be, and more than is actually required to be productive.
Relaxation is as important to entrepreneurs as it is anyone else.
If you’re a regular to the blog, you’ll know that I do a fair amount of video posts. After I shot the one above, on South Beach, I watched it back with my wife, and she pointed out something that I hadn’t actually realized when I was filming it. I am REALLY relaxed sounding in this clip. Usually I am full of energy and pumping out tips and tactics, etc., but in this clip you can easily see and hear how chilled I am. I guess the Miami ocean air really got to me – which is a GREAT thing!
Here’s a few tips for launching into quick relaxation mode that will invigorate, de-stress and get you ready for ‘work’ all over again:
- First up – don’t work any more than 9 hours a day. Its tough sometimes, and the odd ‘late day’ might be required, but don’t make a habit of it. Its been proven that business owners are basically not productive after 9 hours of ‘work’ in a row.
- Spend time with your kids. If you’re a parent you’ll know how awesome it is to spend time with your children. However, if you’re an entrepreneur, you’ll also know that you’re more likely to spend more time with your CPU’s monitor, than your children. So, take time out, enjoy being beaten up and laughed at, and put it all down to ‘love’. Plus, I promise, the kids will love it too!
- Even seen ‘Die Hard’..? The scene where Bruce Willis is walking around, scrunching his toes into the carpet to de-stress, before things all go pear-shaped…?! It works… Try it.
- Read a book. A simple one, I know, but reading (at least for me, anyway) is an unbelievable techniques for relaxation. Whether its fiction of a business book, the bottom line is that you’re switching off and concentrating on something other than work.
- And here’s a great one. Probably the best one of all..!!! Get close to the one you love. Intimate contact of pretty much any kind (including just holding hands!) has been proven to provide immediate relief from stress! So, cuddle up, people.
Relaxing, switching off, chilling out – whatever you want to call it – is something that, as entrepreneurs, we should all embrace. Just as we embrace the networking opportunities presented to us, the chance to do business with new clients, the opportunity to save money on staffing or running costs, etc.
Got any cool tips and ideas on how to slow things down and chillax…? Great – let us all know by commenting below.
If you liked this post, please do leave a comment below – I love hearing from my readers. You can also “Be Sweet and Retweet!” if you like, too. Thanks, everyone!
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Like the video Chris and also the very valid point you’re making.
While watching it, it struck me how I don’t switch enough and that I really should start too. I’m not an entrepreneur but I work a very involved full time job and run my own blog. As well as that I help friends and family to run their blogs and website.
But watching you’re video just now, it hit me that I move from where one hat to another without every really stopping to “chillax.”
Thanks for the kick up the ….
Anything I can do to help, Ben!
But seriously, yes, you should – especially if youre wearing all those hats. Multi-Tasking is one thing, but Mental-Tasking (as I call it), is a whole different animal and one that shouldnt be fed too regularly…!!! Thanks for commenting, really appreciated!
Thanks Chris, great reminders to ‘chillax’ more. One thing you could add is get a dog or cat. Proven to lower stress levels.
Great ideas. And yes, I believe you are correct, I’ve seen that somewhere, too – something about stroking and petting animals…
Wonder if it’s the same with Bonsai tree’s…? I have one of them!
Thanks for commenting, mate.
RELAXATION is indeed important so we won’t get burned out in the long run. It should always be a part of Business Lifestyle.
@Mark – Burn out is the mother of catalysts that lead to business failures. Burning out, for entrepreneurs isnt really an option, being that their company’s health rest squarely on their shoulders – however… that’s in a perfect world. And we dont live in one of those, do we!?
Entrepreneurs and business owners work hard – they have to. But, as I mention in this post, we MUST slow down and take stock from time to time. What do you do to relax after a hard day in the office…?
Hey Chris,
I couldn’t agree more with this post. It’s essential to spend time relaxing and de-stressing so you can FIRE IT UP when you need to.
In fact it’s something I am making a more conscious effort to do this year. As an entrepreneur who works mostly from home I am lucky to be able to spend a lot of time with my son and my wife. But I also know I don’t make enough time for sleep and exercise which are both very important.
It’s hard when you are taking care of so much to just unplug and leave everything undone for a while which is much easier to do when you work for someone else. Being that your business is firmly in your control it’s easy to feel like you constantly need to be working at/on it.
However I have found when I do take a more relaxed approach and let things take their course I often get in a flow that connects me with the people and opportunities I need to move forward.
Great post as usual and I’m glad you found some time to relax while in the States and it wasn’t all business!
Phil
Thanks for a GREAT comment, Phil. Highly appreciated.
You’re right – that time spent with the ‘little ones’ in our lives, as well as the real ‘bosses’ (if you know what I mean – we know our place, dont we!?!) is absolutely imperative to long-term growth and success as entrepreneurs.
Glad to see you taking a solid stance on this for 2010 – let us know how you do. Exercise – yep, I am guilty on this one, too – not because I dont have the time, I do – its generally because I’m just plain LAZY!
I look forward to your next comment, buddy.
Right a blogger I respect says I should be getting some more intimate time, I am off right now to do just that. Spooning session here we come.
Johnny – Thanks for the respect! And for the advance info on your spooning session… Question is, are you going to be doing a follow-up comment, post spoon…?!!!
Man did I need to read this! I don’t even know HOW to relax now a days. It’s probably more because I’m a planner, it’s what I end up doing if I have an hour free, if nothing else, this was a call for me to remember to go watch a movie, play a game, read a book. Thanks Chris!
Hey Rob – Switch off, my man – Switch off… Glad you enjoyed the post, and that it was timely for you. I also find it a little tough to switch off from time to time – the most important thing is that you TRY to do it. If you dont, you’ll never get around to it.
Enjoy that movie – actually, there is more good TV at the moment, than movies…