Relax; it’s only business.  That’s right, take it easy, and goof off once in awhile.  Your employees will thank you and your business will be better for it. 

I just got off the phone with my husband who is a successful restaurateur.  He has taken a little time off with our youngest son.  They are on a Father Son trip that began in New Orleans.  The trip took them to Mexico and then back to New Orleans for the Jazz Festival.  For 7 whole days!  I could tell he was feeling a little unsettled about being gone so long.  But 7 days is not a long time.  Not really.  And he knows everything is running fine.  He also knows he has great employees who have been with him for a long time.

So what is that thing that makes us feel that if we disconnect for a time something bad will happen.  Things can go wrong with our without us present.  Problems will always be with us.

The truth is most of us never disconnecting from our work anymore.  We take our laptops and blackberries wherever we go.  We say it makes things easier.  We believe it makes us more productive.  We can immediately deal with issues as they come up. 

But I don’t believe that.  Maybe we do it because it allows us to not have to trust or depend on anyone else to handle problems for us.  You know that thing – “If I want it done right I might as well do it myself”.  Or maybe we think if we don’t answer that phone call, email or text right now the sender will move on to someone who is more available.

I was working on a deal recently and was having a conversation with someone who was a key player.  As it turned out he was still working on this deal while he was on vacation!  Thanks to his blackberry.  Bet his family was really happy!  The thing is everything I needed could have waited until he returned.

I know it is hard to turn off the gadgets and allow ourselves to take a real break these days.  But that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t do it.  If we don’t delegate our roles once in awhile we will burn out.  And being burned out isn’t good for anyone or thing; even business.

So shut it down, turn it off and relax….. “it’s all good – they got it”

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