Take a Break: Why Entrepreneurs and Freelancers Need to Rest
Many of you know me from my videos about making money on TaskRabbit. When I was younger, I used to say, “I’m always on the grind” – which I was. Always working nonstop, I just kept going and going. Do you remember the Energizer Bunny? Yup, that was and still is me regarding my businesses and working. But these days, I’m at least mindful of this toxic mentality.
There are a lot of entrepreneurs and freelancers who work non-stop. Generally, I’m one of them. We never take a break and constantly push ourselves to the limit. While this might seem like a good work ethic, it can do more harm than good. Entrepreneurs and freelancers need to rest just like everyone else. Rest is essential for both physical and mental health. When you don’t get enough rest, your body and mind can’t function at their best. You’ll make more mistakes, have a more challenging time thinking clearly, and be less productive overall.
So here are five tips to help you take a break from your work and recharge to be more efficient and productive with your time and energy.
– Schedule breaks into your day: Make sure to schedule time for yourself every day to take a break. Break time can be as simple as walking around the block or reading for 20 minutes. Some people do this every 45 minutes, while others wait an hour and a half to three or four hours apart.
– Set boundaries between work and personal life: It’s essential to set boundaries between your work and personal life. When you’re off work, make sure to disconnect from work altogether. This means no checking email, working weekends, or taking calls after hours.
– Take vacation days: Use your vacation days! Even if you’re self-employed or work for yourself, taking some time off every now and then is essential. Go on a trip, visit family, or take some time for yourself. As you can see from my video below, I went to Martha’s Vineyard for a weekend this July.
– Don’t work through lunch: It’s tempting to try and get ahead by working through lunch, but this will only make you more tired and less productive. Take a real break to eat something healthy and recharge for the afternoon. And if you work during that lunch period around noon, you should at least have a snack.
– Get enough sleep: This one is important! Ensure you get at least seven or eight hours of sleep every night. This will help your body and mind feel rested and ready to take on the next day.
I like to take a break from work by listening to music or podcasts on Audible. You can get two free credits using my referral link here. Or you can take a break from your work by checking out our blog for more helpful tips and tricks as you build and grow your business. Or, on a more holistic level, I’ve taken a break from creating content and making YouTube videos over the span of weeks or even months in some cases. Burnout is one of those things we entrepreneurs often overlook and hardly speak about, but it’s real, and the goal is to avoid it.
So next time you feel overwhelmed with work, take a step back and take a break. By following these tips, you can make sure you’re taking the time to rest and recharge. This will help you be more productive, efficient, and creative in your work. Your business, mind, body, and spirit will thank you for it.
