Those two specks on the right side of the photo? My wife and me in Hawaii. (Notice, I am not working.)

My question to you: When’s the last time you took time off, or a vacation? Did you take a four-week vacation?

I know that for some, a four-week vacation sounds like a lofty goal. Once upon a time I too subscribed to the old-school mentality that stepping away from my business for even a week was asking too much. Who in the world would run the show as well as I would?

Here’s the deal. One of the reasons to become an entrepreneur is so you are able to walk away from your company for a while knowing that it’s self-sufficient. 

Your business is incredibly important, I get it. Even more important, however, is how you spend your time. Do you feel like every waking moment (and sometimes even sleeping moments) is spent on your business? That’s not healthy, and not giving you the opportunity to live your life to the fullest. My dream for you is that your life is enriched in all aspects – especially personally. 

You can detach from your business. In fact, you must. Not only for your own personal well-being but the well-being of your company. You need to be physically and mentally healthy. Having time off allows you to refuel, and return to work reenergized and inspired by those experiences you had while you were away.

I learned this from experience. The hard way. Over decades of owning businesses, I have found that I must dedicate just as much time to my hobbies, family, and health as I do to my company. In order to do that, I needed to create a system for my business to run itself. After years of research and testing, I developed the Clockwork system, and I have been taking long vacations ever since. 

It starts with having systems in place, and rock-star employees to implement them. This summer, just about every team member went away for four weeks. Half the team went to Europe, while the other half explored new and loved places here at home. How? They created videos and documents that support their systems and tasks and shared them with everyone in the company. (Hint: Share your drive, create videos in Loom and screenshots in Tango – worked like a charm!)

Things will happen in your business that will take you or a team member out of the loop for a while. Be prepared for anything, and create a company that puts the organization’s mental wellness and physical health before all else. You can do it if your systems are established.

Here’s to the health of not only your business but your wellness, too!

-Mike

PS – Want a step-by-step roadmap so you can take your four-week vacation? Check out Clockwork Revised and Expanded to get the latest strategies to make your business work for you with less effort.