Welcome to Emerge Insights, my weekly newsletter, where I reveal cutting-edge tips to help you find momentum, scale up your business, and reclaim your life.
Read time: 4.26 minutes.
Hey {{first_name}},
How was your summer?
Did you manage to squeeze in a couple of weeks of downtime?
If you're anything like me, you find it difficult to unwind and recharge.
Today marks the end of my vacation. I'm writing this edition of Emerge Insights from our balcony in Bodrum, Turkey, overlooking the Aegean Sea.
I've just finished my morning coffee and journaling routine by reflecting on my time off and what I want to achieve in the coming months.
Here's what I believe...
For business owners, one of the greatest benefits of taking a vacation is uncovering the gaps in their business. But while time off is crucial, it's equally important to set yourself up for a truly effective recharge.
Time away from the day-to-day grind is when big, innovative ideas emerge. Itâs when we lower our âsleep debtâ from work-related stress and anxiety.
A lack of sleep doesnât just affect our healthâit affects our business. Poor sleep leads to negative moods like sadness, anger, frustration, and irritability, which can cycle back into more stress and even worse sleep.
When we truly rest and recharge, we come back sharper, more focused, and more productive. And that benefits everyoneâboth you and your business.
An Ernst & Young study found that for every additional 10 hours of vacation employees took, their year-end performance improved by 8%.
Thatâs a huge productivity boost that more than covers the âcostâ of the time off.
Yet, for most entrepreneurs, taking a meaningful break is easier said than done.
It's not just about booking time off; itâs about the challenge of mentally disconnecting and being fully present with the people you love.
For most business owners, it's hard to keep the mind from drifting back to strategic projects, customer issues, finances, and operational hurdles.
That constant pull back to the business isn't relaxationâit's "entrepreneurial anxiety." The nagging worry that things might fall apart in your absence prevents you from truly disconnecting.
These worries aren't just a part of the entrepreneurial mindsetâthey're signals pointing directly to gaps in your systems and processes. This is why taking a holiday, even a brief one, is so valuable.
Time away from your business exposes these cracks that only become apparent when you're not there to hold everything together.
While the usual benefits of taking time offâreduced stress, increased creativity, and better decision-makingâare well-documented (and youâve likely read about them in HBR on the flight out), the real value lies in stepping back and observing how your business operates without you.
Thatâs when you truly learn what needs fixing, optimizing, or even overhauling.
During my holiday, I maintained my morning journaling habit (most days đ), and I found myself reflecting on the gaps that kept nagging at me:
My Holiday Gap List:
- Increasing recurring revenue
- Improving the invoicing process
- Streamlining collections and payroll
- Streamlining the podcast production process
- Enhancing social media posts and engagement
These arenât just minor annoyances; theyâre barriers to fully disconnecting. More importantly, theyâre barriers to growth. One of the biggest challenges to scaling a business is weak systems and processes.
My goal for next year?
One full month off over the summer. But to achieve that, I need to address the gaps Iâve identified.
My challenge to you is to do the same.
It doesnât matter whether youâre running a four-person coaching business like mine or a $5 to $50 million company like many of my clientsâsolid systems wonât just set you free; theyâll radically increase the value of your business.
When you can step away for a few months, confident that your business will not only survive but thrive without you, it frees your mind to truly relax, recharge, and unlock innovative thinking.
This ability to disconnect isn't just essential for your well-being; it also significantly boosts the value of your business by proving it can run smoothly without constant oversight.
As summer winds down, think about what you need to prioritize over the next twelve months to build a business that runs smoothly without youâgiving you the freedom to fully disconnect and enjoy the vacation you truly deserve.
Need some help getting there - join our upcoming Foundations for Growth Masterclass đ
One quote to start the week strong
"You grow old when you lose interest in life, when you cease to dream, to hunger after new truths, and to search for new worlds to conquer."
- Joseph Murphy from the book The Power of Your Subconscious Mind
One way I stay young is by never losing sight of my dreams and always seeking new worlds to conquer.
Itâs that relentless pursuit of growth and discovery that keeps life vibrant and fulfilling.
For me, my North Star is helping entrepreneurs thrive and prosper.
This purpose not only fuels my passion but also provides a clear direction for everything I do.
Without a North Star guiding us, we risk drifting aimlesslyâwhether in life or in business.
Itâs our dreams and the pursuit of new possibilities that keep us energized and moving forward, no matter our age.
Have a great week!
- Jean
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