I am preparing to take my annual one-month sabbatical. This will be my 14th year taking a month off—maybe one of my best decisions ever. I wrote the article below several years after my first sabbatical.
This is what I am suggesting to all my members this year. Shocked? Don’t be. It may be the best advice you receive all month.
“You try it,” you say. I have. This will be my fourth year. One of the best business and personal decisions I have ever made.
Why should you consider taking a month off this year? Here are three good reasons.
#1. You need it. You have worked very hard all year—maybe even longer—with little time off. Just a long weekend here and there, or perhaps a week at the beach with the family. You called it a vacation. Was it really? A cell phone attached to the palm of your hand, and a laptop always within walking distance. Family members wondering if you will ever truly shut it down and enjoy your time off.
How do I know this? I was there for over 30 years. It always took me several days of business “detox” to begin to enjoy my vacation, and then several days to prepare to return to work. I was left with one to two real days of vacation. Are we having fun yet?
For the past three years, I have taken a full month off in June. I have called it a sabbatical because I felt embarrassed to call it what it was…a real vacation. During this time, I have had very little digital contact—in fact, very little contact of any kind. I have turned off the television, radio, etc. I have kept quiet for most of this time. It’s been amazing. I have returned each time truly energized about work and life in general.
#2. Your business needs it. At some point, you will exit your business—alive or dead. Is your business ready for your exit? How do you know?
The best test of your company’s readiness is your absence for a significant amount of time. Let’s say a month. What will happen? First of all, you will need to spend 4-6 months preparing your business for your time off. This means implementing policies, procedures, and systems that will allow the business to operate effectively without you. Is this a bad thing? Of course not. Even if you choose not to leave, imagine the positive impact this effort will have on your growing business.
Now you are gone. Your key people will have to act on your behalf during your absence, making difficult decisions, taking on additional responsibilities, and adopting an “owner” mindset. Is this bad? Of course not—it’s all very positive, in fact.
Every business owner I know who has done this has returned to find a business thriving and in much better overall condition than when they left. It’s an excellent test of your executive team and the design of your business.
#3. Now is the best time. Your business is growing. You have great people. Steady cash flow. The economy is as good as it’s going to get for a while. It will never be any easier. Why wait?
Have a great month off!