I just can’t say it enough, creativity doesn’t come from burn out. Neither does big breakthrough in business, medicine or anything else. Breaks are a must. Take a walk, look at the leaves or maybe see a movie. Those help for sure, but there’s no replacement for a change in scenery, no chores on your days list and complete “me time” submersion.
Before you say, “I can’t, I don’t have time”, think about this, a well-rested business person is more energized, filled with fresh ideas, and usually much friendlier to their clients. Vacations are an investment in yourself and your business.
A Break on a Budget
Being an entrepreneur can mean not knowing month to month what your income may be. For that reason, Booking.com is a great resource for trip planning. The ability to book trips with free cancellation windows is a huge plus. Book that trip, if things aren’t going as well as you’d hoped financially, you can cancel it! That takes a huge stress off trip planning when your new business is just taking off. Booking.com also shows you the overall trip price rather than per night. They also list extra charges you will receive.
Free Perks
Hotels can come with some amazing perks, or terrible experiences. There’s a wide range! Some come with water parks, free breakfast or nightly movies on the lawn. Always check crime stats, reviews, and ratings for the place you are thinking of booking and the city it’s in. We all have different standards, when a place doesn’t live up to yours, you won’t be getting that R&R that was the whole point of the break!
For my family, we’ve found we enjoy Hampton Inn & Suites at Amelia Island, FL. There’s a great free hot breakfast that changes daily and a pretty view from the pool. Spacious rooms and a historic downtown location mean an easy walk to shops and restaurants, which is always a winner with my crew. That kitchenette gets put to good use, we do free breakfast and then make sandwiches at lunch, dinner Is usually out!
Day Tripper
Maybe for whatever reason it’s not possible to completely detach and take a long weekend. If that’s the case, try a day trip. I’m sure there’s some amazing places to visit within an hour or two of your home. A small town to explore, lake or creek to dip your toes in, theme park sure to thrill, or just a special place to have lunch that’s a treat.
For instance, we’re just south of Atlanta. We have mountains about two hours to our North and three hours to the south we have beautiful Savannah, GA and Tybee Island. We have been known to get up early one morning, hit the road and be in Savannah or the mountains by 10 or 11. We spend the day enjoying the sites and foods and then we hit the road in time to be tucked into our beds by 10! It’s great, and no hotel charge!
Seeing new sites, trying new foods and exploring new places is a sure-fire way to get the ideas flowing, make new contacts and to be a Better Entrepreneur!