Entrepreneurs´s Journal

April 30, 2003
Time Out
By Emily McHugh

My three-year old nephew is responsible for making me aware of the concept of "time out" à la pre-school. Occasionally high-strung pre-schoolers have to be set aside in the classroom to cool down from a certain degree of over activity otherwise known as mischief. As entrepreneurs, I don’t think we are particularly mischievous, but we can certainly be high-strung. So a little time out might not be a bad idea for us too.

The general entrepreneurial pattern is to work a lot, sleep a little, eat a little, work a lot, and round and round we go in our dizzying pace of activity. So stop!! Take a moment to reflect on the beauty and sheer tranquility of doing nothing. Float and bask in the essence of nothingness. Granted, this is a luxury with limited indulgence. However, we cannot be on an activity treadmill 24/7 indefinitely and expect to be sane people. (We can explore the sanity of the entrepreneur in a future discussion.) There has to be a decompression period. The way in which this may be defined or interpreted is highly subjective and is a personalized process. I am not going to recommend how one should decompress. You have to decide what is appropriate for you and your personality. Any form of self-destructive behavior, however, is not appropriate. There needs to be a focus on that which restores, refreshes, and renews your vibrancy at a sustainable level.

I can hear some of you saying right now — a week at the best spa on the sunniest island would do the trick (actually that’s what I’m saying). So does that mean you cannot take time out exactly where you are? That is the whole point. One should abolish the notion that relaxation can only take place on vacation or a trip somewhere. Although a change of scenery is always good, it is important to learn to renew yourself right where you are. The answers are not always external, relaxation is an internal endeavor.

As we finally settle into the joys of spring, this is an ideal time to think rejuvenating thoughts. We need to marshal our energies so that we can accomplish all those entrepreneurial goals. A clear head and a relaxed body are basic necessities to maximizing potential. But I have so much to do, you say wistfully, I can’t stop, there’s no time…! Then make some! Rid your schedule of one of those "must-do" tasks so that you can add a slot called "do nothing". Your brain is tired of all the stuff you force it to process and think about. If you have the hyper-activity of a whirling dervish, at least take the time to listen to your brain screaming - time out!

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