Vacations can Save your Life

Not hypothetically. In reality.

I am a strong advocate of working hard, and playing hard. Quite often, these two can mix and cause damage. Or great success if the timing is right. Now we all work hard, right? Grinding away, making sure things get done, people get paid, and our business grows well. Long hours, extra tasks, extra stress, it's all in the name of creating a better life and business. No time to rest- the business isn't waiting. It needs to be constantly fed, constantly maintained! Well. I've got news for you.

Not taking a vacation can actually kill you.

Not immediately of course. But it can. The article included above, written by an actual doctor opposed to some random blogger like myself, states that a study comprised of 12 thousand men was conducted over the course of 14 years. It found that "...taking multiple vacations, up to five a year, resulted in a 32% lower chance of death from all causes, compared to the men who didn't take vacations." That's pretty powerful.

In a different view, this blogger (I had to include one) takes a more philosophical approach to a vacation saving your life. His views are simple: we work too much, and we forget that there is more to life than your next work shift. Vacations aren't the thing that's important. It's the break, the ability to unwind, the ability to let your guard down. That's what really matters. You don't have to go anywhere to do whatever you want, to be honest.

And let's not forget about one of the most insidious killers in the United States. Stress. Chronic stress has a LOT of health problems associated with it. I mean, you name it. Heart attack, high blood pressure, stroke. But here's the funny thing.

What I find the most alarming is the contradictory nature of the "more work is better" model. We work hard. Forever. Never taking vacations, always mired in responsibility and stress, and then? We wind up dead for all our trouble. So...work has to cease when you're dead, correct? So how is this model helping anyone? It's not, that's how.

Vacations are not excuses to be lazy. Rather, they are rewards for a lot of hard work that we all do. If we cannot reward ourselves, how will we even know when we get the carrot attached to the stick that we've been following for so long?

Change in Business- Change your Business

Change is good. Overall, anyway. I've noticed that a simple shift of tactics, or a different piece of equipment, or even a new employee, can breathe new life into a business that is stagnating. Here's the thing though- your business is always stagnating if you aren't helping it evolve.

There is no one way to do anything. As life continues and so does business, shades of grey are being added to the spectrum or reality every day. Forgive the metaphorical side note, but it's true! Many businesses that I have worked at before coming to Budget were perpetually stuck. Just stuck in their own ways and habits so deeply, that they were in complete denial when the proof of such errors slapped them in the face.

Business, like anything, can get really boring if nothing is going on. And I don't mean cash transactions, or store activity. What you sell, whether it's a product or a service, is merely a tiny fraction of your total business. The people you employ, the business practices you enforce, the brand of coffee you serve in the break room. It's all part of one entity- it's the most life an intangible concept like "a business" can achieve.

Change what's not broken. Fix what is. Constantly evolve.

Change can be scary, I know. Many people out there are resistant or downright hostile towards the concept of change, but it is merely a base fear triggered by the encounter of something new. Humans fear the unknown, but they are eager to accept changes that make their life better. In that same vein, your employees and yourself are good metrics for new things that you are trying out in business. See how the employees respond. See how you respond. Change is good, but it isn't always the best option.

Don't be afraid to look at your current systems, employees, and equipment with an eye on the future. Is what you are doing working? Don't blame the economy. It could very well be you. And this brings me to my main point. If I can't sell you on change now, I won't ever.

Sometimes, carrying on the same way you have always done can get you in trouble. Especially if you are in a situation where you are trying to do the same old same old to fix a problem that requires a different touch. That fear of change might have saved some businesses here and there. Maybe a change you are unwilling to make is finally accepting help or guidance from others. It's a common fear and a matter of pride that will do nothing but hold you back.

If you are reluctant about changing your business up here and there, start with your own personal life. Do something different, get coffee from a different shop, eat an unusual breakfast, do something different! The more we settle in our ways, the more our business suffers. You work is a reflection of yourself- make sure you recognize your face in the mirror.