Shut Down to Power Up

Do you feel like you’ve been going non-stop.

If you’re a business owner, you may have been busier than ever, trying to navigate a variety of issues in this new normal. In our overly connected world, it’s easy to stay plugged in 24/7/365, but doing this is actually harmful to you and your business.

Marie Forleo, businesswoman and coach, summarizes this perfectly in her article and video, “Want To Power Up Your Results? Shut Down Your Business.”
I received this in my email a couple of days ago and it was right on time. I find that most entrepreneurs, especially women, do not take time for themselves. Women notoriously put themselves and their needs last, as they are frequently in “people-pleasing” mode.

This “FOMO” (Fear of Missing Out) mentality is literally killing us, and our business. Marie summarizes the main reasons we are afraid to take time off as:

• Guilt for not being available 24/7

• Fear that we’ll miss an opportunity or let down a client

• Stress about having to “make up for lost time” later

• Self-doubt that taking time meant being lazy or uncommitted

Marie changed this “culture of overwhelm” in her own business by shutting it down for a full two weeks twice each year; no email, no meetings, no work at all for her or her team. She found that closing twice a year has skyrocketed her team’s success, creativity, and stamina. I am not surprised. There is a ton of data and research supporting this fact.

I just returned from a 4-day trip where I spent time in nature and only used my phone for photos and directions - NO WORK. I brought my tablet and never even turned it on. It was wonderful. Later this summer I will shut it down completely for a full two weeks so that I can spend time with my husband and enter into a state of deep rest and receptivity, making space for a higher source of inspiration and creativity to flow through me. It is on the calendar. It is happening!

What about you? If you can’t fathom getting off the grid for a full two weeks, what can you do? Maybe start with a few days and see how you feel. You may have withdrawals at first but it does get easier!

Taking time to rest and recover is actually a responsibility to yourself, your family and your business. You can’t give what you don’t have. Shut Down to Power Up so you can give your best to this world!