I am exhausted, bruh. For the past 3 months, I have taken no time off and the work has quadrupled. During these past months, my days have started around 5am and ended around 9pm. Don’t get me wrong, I am so THANKFUL for the work, this is exactly what I asked the universe and spoke into existence. But regularly pulling 16 hour days is not sustainable.
As an entrepreneur, just thinking of saying no to work is scary because we have no clue when the next project will come our way and with that, it’s hard not to take on everything that comes to us, that fits our skill set, has the right budget and is stimulating. Trust me, I get it, I live it.
Being so busy, I felt uninspired creatively and I realised that, the only way to get my mojo back was to take some time off. I don’t have the luxury this month to take an entire week off but I forced myself to take a day off; I called it my “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off” (remember the cult movie from the 80’s starring Matthew Broderick? If you don’t, we can’t be friends…seriously!). I spent my entire day doing everything I wanted to do that had absolutely nothing to do with work, and it was fantastic.
If you, like me, are experiencing a great momentum in your business (congrats!) here’s why you need to grant yourself a “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off” just like I did, on a regular basis:
Self-Care, bruh
Millenials love this term and I didn’t quite get it, until I needed it. Your first love is self-love, we all know this. But sometimes, you need to check yourself before you wreck yourself, you feel me? This non-stop working cycle is just not healthy, even when being done for the right reasons, which are, professional and financial fulfilment. During my first “Ferris Day”, I did things I hadn’t done in awhile, including reading a book. I love reading and reading is part of self-care for me. It transports me into another universe and I just love it. I worked out because it’s part of my daily routine and it makes me feel good. My point is, self-care is whatever makes you happy, where you’re putting yourself first.
Creativity
My work requires constant creative thinking – out of the box thinking, for my own projects as well as those for my clients. When you’re constantly just doing work, you’re not doing anything more than the actual work and you often can’t see past it. I’ve felt like I was lacking some creativity lately because all I’ve done is ground work. And until I get to travel again next month, I want to be inspired by things going on around me, in my own city — and there are loads! Whether it’s going to the museum on your Day Off or trying a new restaurant, reading a magazine or walking in a hood you haven’t been in forever, these activities can be a great source of inspiration and get those creative juices flowing again.
Reconnecting With Friends
I have sort of gone MIA in the last 3 months, being too tired and busy. During my day off, I texted one of my friends while I was walking (with no destination in mind) and I just happened to be in her work neighbourhood. She made time to see me, gave me a tour of her amazing work office, introduced me to some of her workmates and took some time to have tea with me. Although it was quick, it was nice to see my friend and important to reconnect and catch up.
Need to Hit Reset
That day off will totally help you hit reset. It may not get you back to being fully rested but it’s a start. Disconnecting and resetting is essential and should be done with absolutely 0 guilt. As entrepreneurs, there’s this misguided mindset that you should always be working and that there are “no days off”, well I beg to differ. Without resetting, you can’t see any further and it doesn’t make you better. For me, when I don’t rest, I make mistakes, I drop the ball, which I have over the last 3 months. I was honest enough with myself to realise that I needed a break.
Tell me, have you taken time off during the week? Has it made you a better entrepreneur? I would love to know!
Bisous,
Winy