Why Entrepreneurs Suck at Vacations…

Picture this: You’re on a beautiful island. Waves crash rhythmically just a few feet away, and a fresh breeze carries the smell of sea salt and tropical fruits. Your phone is nowhere to be seen, and you haven’t been to work in a week. If you’re a “normal” person, this scenario is a perfect vacation, but if you’re an entrepreneur, we’ve just described a waking nightmare.

Entrepreneurs are notoriously bad at vacations. We get anxious when we can’t check in on work and are often accused of being workaholics by family members who insist we drop everything and “try to relax.” Russell Brunson, author and internet marketing expert, addresses this phenomenon best.

“Entrepreneurs rely on momentum”

Brunson explained. “When we’re moving forward, we feel happy. When we’re moving backward, we get sad and stressed. It’s like when the coach pulls you out of the big game and sets you on the bench to catch your breath. But as you’re on the sidelines, watching your team all moving toward the goal line, you want to do everything in your power to get back in the game. As entrepreneurs, being in the game is why we do what we do.” Source: https://www.facebook.com/RussellBrunsonHQ/videos/1409505799165138/

Most entrepreneurs feel energized by closing a deal or launching a new product, but conventional wisdom will still have our loved ones insisting we need to take a break. Here are two things you can do to vacation without losing momentum or suffering the wrath of well-meaning family members.

1. Schedule Time to Work

Your spouse might not like the idea of scheduling work time while you’re on vacation, but they’ll probably be okay with you checking email during dinner or while touring a museum. Find the balance between radio silence and working on a beach. One option is to step away from most tasks but spend an hour before breakfast replying to emails or handling phone calls.

2. Learn Something

Take advantage of the free time that’s been forced upon you by doing something to improve your skills or knowledge. Sign up for an audio course, read a book, or listen to a podcast — something productive you can do that doesn’t interrupt your family’s vacation. And speaking of podcasts, check out Randy’s podcast, “Crushing It in the Digital Revolution” at tinyurl.com/yb6ygcxl.

There are benefits to stepping back and returning to work with fresh eyes, but you don’t need to abandon your momentum to reach that point. Find a happy medium before your next vacation so you and your family can enjoy the experience together.