The Secret to Successful Entrepreneurship: Rest
Entrepreneurs' biggest strengths are drive, motivation and passion for their business, often creating long work hours with not nearly enough breaks. In today’s hustle culture, productivity is king, and while it's admirable how hard entrepreneurs work to achieve their dreams, a common issue in the community is burnout. Unsurprisingly, according to a Canadian Federation of Independent Business poll, 66% of small business owners are close to burning out from lack of rest and the toll of running a business in a pandemic. The obvious solution is to rest more, but like elite athletes, entrepreneurs can find it difficult to hold themselves back and actively rest. There’s always something on the docket or an unexpected task that takes away from your personal time. Still, lack of rest will eventually catch up and lead to burnout or illness, be it mental or physical. In the long run, the secret to being a productive and successful entrepreneur is not working yourself ragged but rather taking the proper time to rest, however counterproductive that may seem.
First, there's a myth we need to tackle: rest and sleep are separate and necessary components of a healthy life. While many may conflate the two as the same, they each have their use. Sleep is a physical and psychological necessity that keeps our brains quite active. On the other hand, rest is meant to be a suspension from the mental, physical and social stressors of day-to-day life, a time where you can give your mind a break to wander and relax. Multiple types of rest are required at different times, such as physical, mental, emotional, social, creative and spiritual. An entrepreneur may mentally and creatively burn out as they try to find unique solutions for their business or feel socially overwhelmed after many networking events. What is considered a relaxing activity is tailored to the individual in question and their needs at the time; it’s essential to check in with yourself and see what type of rest you are deficient in to feel truly refreshed.
Although many can equate rest with laziness or interpret it as passive, rest should be seen as actively recovering and reflecting. In one series of studies, Penn State‘s Dr. Roger Beaty led an international team of researchers that used scanning technology to identify patterns of brain connectivity and saw that while relaxing or daydreaming, the brain does not stop working. Frequently these crucial moments of “downtime” produce important insights or generate creativity. Even at rest, the brain consumes 20% of the body’s energy production, while deep concentration only takes about 5-10% more energy. A study by the University of York and the University of Florida found that more than 40% of our creative ideas come during breaks when we allow our minds to wander, further supporting the notion that rest is a necessity for idea generation and being a successful entrepreneur.
Finally, the most critical aspect of taking a rest is making sure it is truly relaxing. With many working from home or connected constantly by phone, disconnecting from work has become harder and harder. The constant demands of the modern world to always be online and available drains us, and a simple ping on our devices can turn a relaxing afternoon into an anxious work session. It's a common phenomenon that people take time off to relax yet find themselves experiencing negative emotions, such as guilt, stress, or anxiety, thus defeating the purpose. Proper rest requires a detachment from work, emotionally and sometimes physically. People sometimes find that being in the exact physical location all the time can work against their rest goals, and a change of scenery can bring peace of mind or at least change up the routine.
Rest is a highly personalized concept, and what activities one individual may see as restful may not have the same results for others. Regardless of what you may consider restful, it's evident that taking time for yourself to rejuvenate and relax has benefits not just for your personal well-being but also for your professional capacity and productivity. If you’re a small business owner looking to delegate some of your tasks to get more rest, contact us to find out what Probity can do for you.
