Business owners should give time in their days to rest. Rest will help kickstart tomorrow’s success.

When did you last power off the TV, cell phone, social media and the outside world? Do these actions equate to rest?

Rest. A word with layered meanings such as to be quiet, refreshment, freedom from labor, peace of mind just to name a few.

Research explains many nine to fivers and entrepreneurs are working on burnout. They rarely take the time to rejuvenate or re-energize their bodies and brains.

The reality is the brain shoots out information faster than you can keep up with at times. It’s constantly thinking; thinking of the past, present, and future all at once.

You’re remembering what happened this morning or late last night; pondering about what’s going on at this very moment; and thinking of what needs to get done before the end of the day. And, don’t forget the in-between stuff.

Days Without Proper Rest for Success

I remember working 30 to 40 hours Monday – Friday. Saturday’s were my days to catch up on errands I couldn’t get to during the week.

Some Saturday’s I worked at school tutoring in reading and writing. So, many weeks included six full work days, which left me with Sunday’s to rest and do other things.

Let’s not forget about grading assignments and essays, providing feedback, preparing lesson plans for the week, calling parents and completing a call log, etc. My body and mind were both fatigued, and I became cranky.

When starting as a business owner and entrepreneur, you learn how to balance time and how resting periods are critical.

You’re a business owner, which adds another layer of responsibilities. At first glance, work days can be as long as 16 hours.

I want to suggest you try to begin in its early stages to balance your times of a day. Think about including a few minutes of rest.

Side note: Self-made millionaires set aside 30 mins per day for self-reflection and meditating.

You may be thinking; they’re already at a level of wealth and sustainability.

They can afford to do this. On the contrary, not actually. Self-made millionaires have more than one stream of income. Their times of days include a vast amount of decision-making, meetings, mainly overseeing the productivity of their businesses.

All work and no rest is not the key to success.

An extremely busy person’s life can sometimes be exhaustive. These types are constantly on the go. There’s no end or balance to their schedules.

Ever wonder if people are afraid of the quiet?

It’s easy to get immune to a busy life until you forget what quiet is and means. Business owners and entrepreneurs need rest and spaces of quiet to be more fruitful and productive.

Some schedules fill up from the moment of “good morning” to “good night.” Experts show how your brain doesn’t reach its fullest potential when working on overload.

Quiet times help bring forth good ideas and quality work. Working too much has many effects on the body and mind. And, believe it or not, your mind and body need proper rest and balance.

Here are seven ways to rest during your allotted times:

Automation. I think this is a top priority. You can’t do everything alone in your business–even as a solopreneur. Business is demanding at any level. And, having specific systems in place like autoresponders are very helpful during periods of rest.

Napping. You certainly perform better and think clearer. Studies show how well your “memory improves and you learn better.” Napping contributes to being alert and also energizes.

Total silence. Turn off everything. Close your eyes and learn to shut off the brain. Disconnect from it all, which leads to the next point.

Meditation. Research contends a lot of meditating will reduce stress levels and anxieties. Meditating helps you disconnect from troublesome experiences and days. It also calms “upsetting” or “scary” moments. There are many different meditating styles. Find out which one is your fit.

Sleep. I often hear other entrepreneurs bragging about how they stayed awake all night or burned the night oil to get to their success levels. Interestingly, Warren Buffet even tells his buddies to “choose sleep over extra profits.” Getting at least seven hours of sleep helps you function with a clearer mind.

Avoid Distractions. This can be included with total silence. I’m choosing to isolate this one because of what it entails. Here, my references are to text messages, Facebook, Instagram, Linkedin and other social media platforms. It’s very easy to be tempted to check everything and use this space to respond to messages.

Short Walks. Various moments during the business day can increase stress levels. Too much stress will produce irritability. I’d think the last thing any business owner wants is to be unproductive throughout the day. There’s no better feeling than having those daily successes, right? Short walks assist with leveling all stress areas, anxiety and helps to clear the mind as well.

Conclusion

Overall, try to include at least 20 to 30 minutes or more of shut down time in your day. You create the space of this moment. But, to do so, remember to learn what works best for you. I know your objective is to have a successful day. Me too for this matter.

Success feels much better when you’ve achieved mini daily goals. Perhaps, fatigue and tiredness dim that incredible feeling of happiness from reaching them. I also hope you get a good night’s rest and the proper amount of sleep at night to ensure more success in your business.

There’s a scene in the movie Eat, Pray, Love that directly suggests that we have not mastered “the art of doing nothing.” I’m inclined very much to agree with this statement. Doing nothing during break time may be the best success and decision for yourself and business.

Images courtesy of unsplash.