Sometimes you just have to step away and take a break. This is one of the lessons that I have learned in starting my own small business. There are moments when you are working so hard – the hours grinding on you, that you start becoming inefficient in what you are doing. In response you start working longer hours trying to get ahead or to get where you thought you should be. The cycle is vicious and feeds on itself. You work harder to catch up, become more inefficient, so then you work harder and longer hours to catch up, only to find you are even more inefficient. Then your whole life is consumed with your business and you are stressed out and not making good decisions.
At this point it’s time to just stop. Step away from it all and renew. That is exactly what I did this past weekend. I can’t tell you how much more clearly I can see the business now. I can’t tell you how by stepping away and focusing on my family for a weekend that I am now better able to think about and execute my business.
My husband and I took a weekend trip to a great cabin in the mountains of Virginia in a small town called Rileyville. The view was unbelievable. It was so serene and peaceful. Even if I had wanted to think about work, it was as if the mountains wouldn’t allow it. It was a much needed break. We had just launched our new Sugar Free Dog Treat Icing product line, but I wasn’t completely happy with it – so I was working overtime to try and get it right. My full time job has been extremely busy – busier than I can recall in years. The house, my horse, my husband were all getting neglected as I started down the path of workaholism. Having been trapped in this cycle before – I was able to recognize it – and stop.
Running your own small business is about balance. You have to be productive but never at the expense of those things that you hold dear. Family, friends, pets, and life can’t be put on hold while you run your business. Before long, you will be wondering why you are working so hard, making bad decisions, and generally exhausting yourself. In this place – your business is most vulnerable – and you will no doubt be miserable. Sometimes you have to take a step back and see the big picture. You have to see your life completely – and life can’t be just about work.
Sammy had a great time in the mountains with us. He was happy that his “pack” was everywhere he was. We took a hike, sat on the deck, relaxed by the fireplace with the cool spring breeze blowing through the window watching the NCAA tournament. The stars were incredible – “like someone had opened powdered sugar and sprinkled it everywhere on the night sky” my husband said. The birds were fascinating to watch, the sky was perfectly clear and blue. After a day and a half of not thinking at all about Everything Dog Treats, I allowed myself to venture back to those thoughts. And what I found was that things that were causing me stress before weren’t stressful anymore. I discovered some of the things I was really unsure about made themselves clear to me. It all started to flow very easily back to me – my passion renewed, my balance restored – this was good not only for everyone around me, but for the thing I had been slaving over and struggling with – the business.
We are so lucky and blessed that we were able to escape to the mountains. But I can tell you, the next time the balance starts to get out of kilter… I won’t hesitate to just stop, take a break and refocus.
