A lot of people have already taken their big summer vacation, or are, at least, planning to do so. Most of my clients, however, have no such plans. These are “eat what you kill” hard workers who get paid by billable hours, commissions, or by selling their own wares—people for whom a vacation is a luxury reserved for salaried individuals. To these folks, time off is equated with a loss of momentum, stalled business plans, cash going out with none coming in, and prospects falling through the cracks. There is no relaxation or rejuvenation associated with a series of non-working days; on the contrary—it is a stressful notion.
Recently, on an early Saturday morning, I was walking with my daughter, Logan, to meet up with Amanda (my wife) who was coming back from her run. When we caught up to her, the smile she customarily greets us with was replaced with a look of preoccupation. She obviously had something on her mind.
“Chris,” she said, “I’m going to take Logan with me today. We’re going to the Farmers Market to pick a few things up, and then I’m going to the office to do a training for my staff. It’s a crazy day—I’ve got equipment purchases, and I’m planning to bring on a third employee—pushing hard to hit 5 by this time next year. So along with everything else I’m doing today, I’ll be crunching numbers to figure out if I need a $15,000 or $50,000 line of credit to cover my expanding business. I also have to figure out if I want to renew the lease or start looking for a larger building…’
She went on like this for another 5 minutes, growing more frantic as she shared the details of her never ending to-do list.
“The cash outlay so far this year has my heart in my throat. I’ve got to jack up my referral sources and crack the whip on production so everything doesn’t unravel. I know I need a break, and I’m totally exhausted, but I just can’t afford to take a vacation.”
I felt like this was the right moment, and so I jumped in and offered my two cents. ‘It seems to me you can’t afford to not take a vacation—at least a small one. How about you call Rebecca and go for a Girls Weekend? I think you need it—right now. You two could pack a big cooler, grab some extra gear, and go camping for a couple days. Imagine a whole weekend with no phones, no work, no kid, no husband, and all for less than 125 bucks between the two of you. I’m prepared to take care of Logan. What do you think?’
“That sounds divine, and it’s EXACTLY what I need!”
Within a few hours of our conversation, Amanda called Rebecca, and at the end of this month, they’ll be indulging in a relaxing weekend in the Blue Ridge Mountains!
We all work hard, but I have to say, I’ve not seen many people work harder than my wife. She operates at an almost super-human pace, but even superheroes need to rejuvenate from time to time. Of course, time and cash are very real considerations, but as in Amanda’s case, a week-long vacation is not always a prerequisite for giving yourself some overdue R & R; more times than not, it’s a matter of simply getting the hell out of Dodge for a couple days to restore your sanity and recharge your batteries!
Friendly tip: National parks and some state parks are celebrating their anniversaries right now. This is a perfect time to get out and soak in the majesty of nature! For most of you, we’re talkin’ about a DAY TRIP! I highly recommend it!
