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It's true, vacations make money. Therefore, it's financially irresponsible of you not to take regular vacations if you want to be financially successful. If you're not taking regular vacations, then you're managing yourself with the "the beatings will continue until morale improves" philosophy. How well has that worked for your supervisors? How well do you think it'll work in managing yourself and motivating you to be financially successful?
Let's look at two hardworking executives and friends, Ted and Fred. Ted hasn't taken a vacation in years. He thinks he can';t afford to take time off work or he'll lose valuable time on the job and serious money. Because he's made himself indispensable to the business, there's probably some truth to this. Ted often finds that he is tired and cranky and has a difficult time coming up with fresh ideas for his business.
Fred on the other hand makes sure that he takes regular vacations because he knows the value of resting and recharging his batteries from time to time. Because he's engineered his business to run pretty darned well in his absence, he finds he can relax while on vacation. He finds that the "me time" to rest, rejuvenate, and think broadly helps him come up with innovative ideas that take his business to the next level of success.
Ted takes a great deal of pride in "working hard" and actually feels guilty about taking time away from work. He soon experiences flat sales, a divorce, and a heart attack; and he starts to reconsider his position.
Fred takes a great deal of pride in "working smart" and thoroughly enjoys his time away. He soon experiences rising sales, a second honeymoon in Europe, and a new personal best in the 5K; and he sometimes worries about his friend Ted.
The End. High-performance habits
Success is a marathon, not a sprint; rest along the way.
Make regular vacations a high priority on your work calendar.
"Working hard" is overrated and "working smart" is underutilized in our culture, which makes it relatively easy to gain an edge on your competition.
Copyright Terry "Doc" Dockery, Ph.D. All rights reserved.