Take a Break!

I believe most in our industry work very hard. Distributors need to be diligent to generate business in today's more challenging economy. Many suppliers travel around the country to attend key account meetings and various trade shows. Our industry is no different than others, but it's safe to say in business these days, many of us are running hard and fast.

In this rant, I'm going to encourage you to take a break. Take some time this summer for yourself and your family. Rest and recharge your batteries. Some may be thinking they can't take time off ... and I get that. I am as driven as they come, but getting refreshed is important.

I've come to discover that I'm a workaholic ... and a workaholic with A.D.D. at that, so I'm just a bit hard to be around. Since employing my son in some projects, I see how difficult I am to work for ... but I'm trying to do better.

Working in our industry is challenging. About three years ago, I chose to affiliate with a large distributor organization. That removed a huge burden of financial and administrative tasks that can crush you ... and was crushing me. I always wondered why we never could keep administrative people longer than two years. Now life is easier.

There are so many details to address and financial issues to deal with that being released from those burdens was a huge relief for me. That stress coupled with me being crazy as an employer ... made burnout in our company commonplace.

One of my good industry friends, Rod Brown takes off two months in the summer to spend time with his family. What ... you might think that's crazy! Rod is the principal of a top-50 promotional products company and a very busy person. He can't fully check out due the commitments he has, but he may not immediately accessible and somehow things all work out. I so respect his decision to do this. It comes with a price, but it is also a clear indication of his values and underscores of what is really important in life.

Rod shares his thoughts behind this in a Facebook Page post:
"I believe in the value of this time and often like to share the story with others. Perhaps it derives from a hardworking mantra learned from my father and my attitude about personal responsibility and hard work.

"The vision was born out of disillusionment from a failed VC business deal combined with the trauma of 9/11. It is a long story but suffice to say I decided then that given a chance to spend more time raising my sons, who were then 5 and 9, and had not seen much of me because I worked ALL the time, that I would work to make the this a reality.

"When the opportunity arose to buy back the company, I worked with the team to trade a large equity stake in our firm in exchange for a family life for me. I believe in investing in the lives of my children and my wife. In a small way posting this on social media makes me a little uncomfortable, perhaps a bit embarrassed.

"We have been traveling the world and teaching my sons to fish, to boat, to use tools, read charts and tides, tie knots, learn the ocean, the stars and building a bonfire. We have rafted and canoed, rode the sand dunes on ATV's from Oregon to Baja, skied on water and snow and seen sights from Venice to Africa, caught fish from Alaska to Key West. I hope when I am done, looking back on life, I feel I did well with my investments.

"If you have interest in making a similar plan, drop me an email or call and I will share with you some ideas beyond money that may yield a few of the riches I have found in my family."

While I would love to take that kind of time off, at this point, it's not possible. But I do enjoy our traditional one-to-two week vacation. The point here is to take a break! If you do ... you will actually be more productive. Here are a few resources you may find helpful:

5 Tips to Avoid Burnout
As a confessed workaholic, I found the Tips in this article to be good practical things that we all can benefit from. (Even if we can't take an extended vacation.) Click here for the article.

Are You a Workaholic?
I confess to being a workaholic ... BUT I'm trying to do better! For more on this topic and a workaholic test you can take, click here.

Don't Work Next Thursday
Popular industry motivator Ron Baron tells you to NOT work next Thursday in this short video!

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