There’s sometimes a cliché that entrepreneurs can’t go on holidays, that they have to always be there and reachable. To some extent, it’s kind of true… you cannot completely switch off. Your mind cannot be disconnected from your venture. That’s one of the inconvenient to be passionate about your activity as an entrepreneur. If you have no passion and no fun in what you do, you’ll never support the charge of being an entrepreneur. On the other hand, I wouldn’t exchange my job as an entrepreneur for a « boring corporate job » (I know, it’s kind of unfair: there are also great jobs in corporates!). Enjoying your job 24/7 has ways more value than being bored in a regular 9-5 job. Entrepreneurs have the risk of « burn out », when many corporate people fear the « bore out ». The challenge is to find a balance in-between!
I’ve recently read an editorial from Alexander Stoeckel, Managing Partner of b-to-v, where he was also explaining that as well as June should be a good month for business (with good weather, people should be in a better mood, no?), it is not. Why? Because:
- Everyone wants to get things done before the holiday season (so they can free their mind and find a clean desk back from vacations);
- People tend to be tired, if not exhausted. Therefore, less patient and potentially more aggressive.
So June is not that a good month for business. July and August? Even worse, or at least from mid-July to mid-August (your customers take real break, so you won’t be able to move the needle). As an entrepreneur, I think it is also the best time to take a break (or slow down a bit). At least one week. Because you deserve it! After all, startups are a marathon… that you’re running at « sprint tempo »!
Don’t stress yourself also with the « clean desk » or the « 0 emails inbox fantasy » (I’ve given up for this for years… better try to allow 10 minutes each day to handle it… 1 or 2 years old emails in your inbox can be handled very quickly, no? It only takes one click to delete them!).
As always, the key is to set priorities (where almost everyone sucks). Easier said than done. What do you really need to terminate before your vacations? Except if you’ve promised to deliver something to a specific due date(my rule of thumb on this: « under promise, over deliver! »), it can probably wait your come back. What does it change to stress yourself to send emails (or everything else) that won’t be handled anyway before you’re back (because people are also away)?
If you know me, you’ve probably noticed that I’m kind of hyperactive. I’m even busier than ever now. But I also feel the need for a break. And I’ll do my best to switch off my electronic devices without feeling guilty. Finally ;-)!
Jump into the holidays and see you around mid-August on startupolic.com!
