In yesterday's post, I introduced to some or reintroduced to others the concept of time off under the term respite. Another perspective of respite is time away from the hustle and bustle of your business or work. We also underscored how adding respite to your business agenda is supported by evidence-based research. As leaders and small business owners, we must consider what types of respite are available and how it applies to your business. Let's begin!
Simply put, respite is time away from work. While traditional business practices dictate working the clock as much as 12 to 16hour workday 7 days per week, it is important to underscore the importance rest plays in productivity and creativity resulting in a net gain physically, spiritually, and financially. Time away opens your mind to allow divergent thinking to flourish. So, what does respite look like within a small business? Suffice it to say, it varies. Whether one week off for the Holy days, a 3-day or 4-day weekend, or a 4-day work week otherwise known as an alternate work schedule, reduced work hours or more time away from the job is an essential part of your business success.
The illustration in this post depicts lovely chaos wrapped in a heart-shaped 😮 things-to-do list, which we can relate to as business owners, employees, and busy individuals. According to research, the proliferation and accessibility of technology come with pros and cons. While the pros are apparent, the many cons include longer hours, days, and workweeks. So, what is the solution? CPR recommends intentional respite (schedule time off as you schedule time on, such as business meetings, etc.).
Like other agenda items, time off must be scheduled for you and your team. This begins with the number of days you work per week and the number of hours per day. As a leader, you must be intentional and set the tone within your organization by promoting productive hours instead of long hours or workdays. Human Resources executives purport that companies such as Apple, Google, and LinkedIn, consider reduced hours as a selling point to attract the best and the brightest prospective employees. This means working 3-4 workdays per week for some companies instead of 5-6 workdays. As small business owners, you may not be able to give full-time employees a 3-day full-paid workweek, or can you? The emphasis is not on days off but on the productivity level upon your and your team's return.
We all know the feeling of "I can do anything" when you return to work after a long holiday weekend or vacation. Most of us return energized with more creative ideas to the organization's advantage. As a small business owner, the same is true. You and your employees return with supernova energy coupled with brilliant ideas that can be incorporated into your day-to-day business operations. Subsequently, your mountain suddenly looks like a molehill. This is because our Creator called it! Rest is required. As leaders, respite gives us time to reflect, revise goals, think outside the box, pray, and apply wisdom to benefit our businesses. Do you need more reasons to plan your next respite?
CPR's news corner:
Effective May 2022 CPR LLC in collaboration with T&L Custom Solutions on its weekly Entrepreneurship podcast from 7 pm eastern. For an invite to participate in a live podcast, please send an email to workclimate@cprllcservices.com. Please identify the name of your organization, industry, business formation status, and location. The link will be forwarded.
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Warm Regards,
CeeCee
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