5 Reasons Why You Should Take a Holiday from Your Side Hustle
How popping out from under the Startup trenches could be just what your business needs
They say that mom-guilt is a real thing, however, anyone who is committed to launching their side hustle into a full-scale operation may face a similar type of guilt when given the choice to take a break. If your business has boomed past the startup phase, and you’re deep in the growth phase, then you too may struggle to break away.
Guilt is only one of the feelings that you may feel when it comes to pressing pause. There is often also a fear of losing momentum, or of missing out that may accompany it too.
It may help you to know that some larger companies advocate for breaks. I’m a subscriber to the Marie Forleo email list and she sent through a mail explaining to her audience that Team Forleo is taking a break over the summer vacation season. Power to her.
Not all businesses are this brave though.
This article is for you if taking a break pangs you with anxiety. Having a holiday may actually be exactly what your business needs. Never mind your business, you may need the break too. Here are five reasons why pressing pause, and letting your hair loose may even positively impact your business.
#1 Rest
If you’re rolling your eyes at this first point. I encourage you to pause and reflect on the following insight from a science-based online magazine.
Even in our brain’s resting state — when we are not directly focused on a task — it’s still active, engaging its “default network” to plug away at problems, examine and toss out possible answers, and look for new information. We may not be able to control these processes completely; but by learning to rest better, we can support them, let them work, and take notice when they uncover something that deserves our attention.
You may be in the boat where your side hustle was the part of life that energized you the most: “Was” being the operative word… So, if your side hustle is an evolution of your hobby, or it isn’t and you’re not sure of what rest practically looks like, here are some ideas to refuel.
A social media detox
Social media may be helpful for numbing your mind at times, but it could also trigger feelings of comparison that could result in you feeling a little worse off than when you originally opened the app.
If you’re trying to change your environment, but you see your competition thriving, it could negatively affect the original intention of resting. Instead, you may find your mind racing, your heart pumping, and the desire to throw yourself back into brainstorming or actioning tasks on your never-ending to-do list.
Redefining your hobbies
At some point in your life, it is likely that you were asked to list your hobbies either in an interview or social setting. Most people can rattle off two to three things that they enjoy doing, however, I’ve picked up that people struggle to complete a list of 10 things that bring them joy.
Think back to what made you feel alive as a child, and try to plan to action those activities. For some, outdoor actives like camping, woodwork, fishing, hiking, and swimming tick the box, whereas indoor enthusiasts may enjoy cooking, reading, coloring in, painting, or writing poetry may bring a smile to their faces.
Your hobbies may evolve as you do, so revisiting and perhaps redefining what you enjoy may be a fantastic starting point.
Sleep
In my 20s, I struggled to allow myself to have a nap. I found that napping made me feel weak. However, when I hit a dip in energy, I found myself checking emails, social media, or analytics which weren’t really adding to my output in the day.
It’s like instead of resting my eyes, I numbed my brain with activities that didn’t need to be done.
Tim Ferris raves about a 20min nap as a way to hack sleep, and since I have allowed myself forty winks when I’m working from home, I refuel and get back to work with a twinkle of more energy in my eye. However, this point may still be of value to you while you are vacationing, because I have seen how some people plan their vacation so full of activities that they feel like they need a holiday after their holiday. If you miss a tour or visiting the must-see attraction because you chose to rather have a siesta in a park- good for you!
Sunshine
Have you ever seen how chill a crocodile looks when it’s soaking up the sunshine? It’s like it’s marinating in a heavenly delight.
Perhaps I'm part-reptile but I feel all the better for sunlit moments and I chase them during my working day, and especially on vacations. I have a sun-drenched lounge, and, the coworking space I also work in, has access to an outdoor balcony which is where I absorb the rays at lunch. But I’ve also been known to chase summer when travel was something we could easily do. However, even in winter, that wholehearted kiss of warmth from time in the sun invigorates my soul.
But there’s a science attached to this point: Sunshine is a source of Vitamin D and this vitamin comes with a mood-enhancing benefit,
Research has shown that vitamin D might play an important role in regulating mood and warding off depression.
As I’m not a doctor, I’m not going to go much deeper into this point, but the insight I get here is that a healthy amount of time in the sun can positively affect us, which will obviously then feed into other areas of our professional and personal lives.
Top Tip: If you want to plan some time away from your side hustle, you can start by outlining your perfect day with a hobby, or combination of hobbies that make you feel alive. Then, decide if you need company or alone time and whether you can find a moment for some natural Vitamin D. Finally, have a self-check-in, and decide whether social media fuels or drains you.
#2 Confirmation Bias
When most of your thinking space is dedicated to achieving a goal, obtaining objectivity may become a little tricky. A holiday away from your start-up could find you interacting with people outside of your working circle. Whether it is friends, family, or new acquaintances, you may find perspectives that challenge your own.
The definition from an Investopedia article concludes that,
Confirmation bias is the tendency of human beings to actively search for, interpret, and retain information that matches their preconceived notions and beliefs.
Stepping away from your start-up could be a gift to your business as you have the chance to ask questions and engage in dialogs which could result in you further educating yourself in areas that you may have previously had blind spots.
Instead of trying to promote your own self-esteem to maintain short-term momentum, the pause could result in a perspective where you make decisions not only to achieve short-term wins but to make decisions resulting in sustainable long-term success.
#3 Boundaries
In The War of Art, Steven Pressfield implies that,
A professional distances herself from her instrument.
I remember leaving my full-time job and being determined to never go back to that life that I lost objectivity between who I was and what I was doing.
I had a few side-hustles going at the same time and I was desperate for wins which resulted in my personal life becoming an extension of my business in order for me to feel like I was constantly productive.
Learning to find joy in who you are outside of your start-up could see you identify areas of pride or fear. Identifying these areas could again provide you with a much-needed perspective. By allowing your inner mater a change in scenery, you may even notice a change in the way that you speak to yourself. Perhaps a softer, kinder voice may emerge.
Adding an element of playfulness as opposed to military focus has helped me enjoy life outside of work.
I spend a lot of my free time working with children’s homes and I also run with and have made friends with, people a lot older than me in life. Having the input from both young children and retired legends has been what I needed to help separate me from my craft.
Also, hearing about regrets from people who’ve journeyed ahead of me has also given me the perspective of how little my business actually means in the greater scheme of things.
Taking a regular break from my side hustles has given me the room to live a rich life, far more robust than what I portray online. Instead of feeling like my businesses need to work, my mindset has changed more into one of wow-I-get-to-do-this and I know I will be ok if everything is taken from me in an instant.
#4 Fresh Ideas
I don’t know about you, but I can’t be the only person who feels their best ideas come in the shower? Surprisingly, when I researched this, I was amazed to find out how science explains why creativity comes to us in strange places like this.
The well-researched article that you can find on the Buffer Blog indicated the following reasons as to why and when we get some of our best ideas:
- It starts when dopamine is released in our brains,
- When we’re relaxed and more open to looking inward and making insightful connections,
- Also, when we are distracted either by a habitual task or by something else.
Stepping away from your side hustle, strategically, and making plans for you to tick all three of these boxes, could benefit your overall energy towards your business.
So, if you needed an excuse to light some candles and jump in a bubble bath, then let this be the permission you never knew you needed.
#5 Celebrate Wins
Here’s a reason to take a break that you haven’t likely considered, it involves your turning on some old-school Stevie Wonder and celebrating the good times!
I’ve noticed that as soon as business owners reach one milestone, there’s already a new unforeseen obstacle on the horizon that takes the shine away from the hurdle you managed to recently clear.
Life can be so dull and busy at times, but there’s nothing like looking inward and celebrating the small wins. There are often lessons that jump out in those moments which could have you note what does and doesn’t work for your business.
A practical step involves inviting a friend or a family member, who is aware of your start-up, and asking them if they would be open to you taking them out for a drink to celebrate some wins. My husband and I often do this to pause and reflect on how far we’ve both come in life. It may start feeling a little silly, but taking the moments to reflect on the wins in your journey could leave you feeling more empowered and joyful as you continue the conversation.
A really fun idea is to invite the person you’re celebrating with, to also share their own personal wins. I’ve realized that although not everyone seems to live life as much on the creative and financial edge as business owners do, our community experiences wins of their own that mean a lot to them.
We all need a win at times, and planning moments where you get to revisit some are truly the best!
Final Thoughts
If you think I am a professional start-up-boundary-setter, then I have to acknowledge now, that I am writing this article for you as much as I need to read it for myself.
This is very much a regular practice for me.
I love what I do, it energizes me and provides me with so much joy. It sometimes feels like my startup is an extension of who I am. However, I want to keep it that way, and when I do breakaway, and pause, even when it results in a break in momentum, these five reasons I’ve mentioned now are proof enough to me that the future version of myself will appreciate the uncomfortable decision I need to make in the present.
A breakaway looks different to all of us. Whether it is an afternoon off, a week, or even a month break, figure out what you need, and plan to make it a reality.
Rather than burn out, or quitting, plan for rest instead. Good luck!
