3 ways founders can look after their wellness over the summer holiday period.

While businesses are busy approving annual leave, founders have the freedom to work throughout the holidays without any structured or ‘approved’ time off. Here are our top 3 tips to ensure you take some time out and allow that busy brain of yours to switch off.

1. Be your own boss & approve your annual leave. 

This doesn’t mean you have to take two weeks off, because if you’re an early-stage startup chances are you are it. If you aren’t working then neither is your business. 

Approving your own annual leave means setting boundaries and being okay with stepping away from the grind for a set period, no looking or replying to emails! Treat it like you would if you were an employee, take time for yourself and enjoy hobbies or experiences that are important to you outside of the business world, even if it is just for a day or two. 

2. White space is as productive as doing the work 

In the startup space, there can sometimes be the expectation to ‘hustle’. Work those long hours and whatever you do you must outwork your competition. What if we were to tell you that white space can lead to better productivity, and more creative ideas. There is a reason why sometimes the best ideas come to you in the shower. It’s because you’re not actively trying. During these moments of quiet and non-work related tasks, your brain is playing catch up, trying to file and sort all the thinking you have been doing in the day. When your brain is left to relax it can create connections between pieces of information, and leaves space for creative ideas to come to the conscious mind.

Over the holidays carve out white space away from your business, go for a walk, or spend an afternoon at the beach with friends or family. Make sure to prioritize this time and step away from your business. 

3. The ‘I should be WORKING’ guilt

As a founder the to-do list never ends, there are always tasks that need doing. Social media, accounting, product development or streamlining systems. A never ending to-do list can make it hard to switch your brain off from all the things that need doing and to take the time to relax with friends and family. Relaxing with family and friends isn’t just about being physically present, it’s about being mentally present and available in those situations.

Sometimes when we carve out the time to have a break there can be an underlying sense of guilt that you should be doing something ‘productive’ or ticking something off the list. Like any muscle in our body the brain can get tired and needs a rest. 

Removing the underlying guilt can be as simple as recognising the feeling when it comes up, and mentally reassuring yourself that it’s okay to have a rest. If it’s a task that needs action, write it down/ or put it in your calendar at a later date for when you have scheduled some work in. 

Last but not least, take some time for reflection, and think about everything you have achieved over the past year. We can get so tied up in the direction of the business that we forget what we have achieved and where we have come from. Starting a business is brave, risky, and all-consuming. Make sure you take the time to be your biggest cheerleader.