Product Showcases

Rejuvenation

"Every morning I jump out of bed and step on a landmine. The landmine is me. After the explosion, I spent the rest of the day putting the pieces together."
  --- Ray Bradbury

We all have days we wish we could have just stayed in bed. It is those times, especially if they happen more and more frequently, that should probably serve as a warning sign that it is time to truly rest --- not necessarily sleep, but take some time off for a little rest and relaxation. It is true that as with some illnesses, we might talk ourselves into taking time off at every turn. You know, like when we read that a headache precludes a stroke, we tend to think that the headache we have today is our last one and we should consider putting our affairs in order.

But if we listen closely to the clues, it may be time to stop pushing through the fatigue and actually take time away from work. It doesn't have to be a trip to Paris or a two-week vacation. Sometimes just an afternoon movie might do the trick or a full day at the park or beach.

"I spent a lot of money on booze, birds and fast cars. The rest I just squandered."
  --- George Best

Finding the right balance between work and rest has always been a challenged for folks like us. Business leaders tend to believe that we are the only ones in the world who can run the show and that if we leave it all goes to a very hot place in a handbag. That is a myth and we need to begin retraining our thoughts that we are not all that important. Sure, we know things that help the business, but if we are the only ones who can run the show then we've done a poor job of hiring. If we get captured, we need to know that others are in place to take the reins and keep truckin'.

"Rest is not idleness, and to lie sometimes on the grass under trees on a summer's day, listening to the murmur of the water, or watching the clouds float across the sky, is by no means a waste of time."
  --- John Lubbock

If our sign business depends upon machinery to get the job done, what happens when the machine breaks down? Do we get it fixed? Of course we do, and we do it quickly because the business depends on it. The same is true with our bodies. If we break down we go to the doctor or the hospital and try to get well again. However, like our machinery, a little maintenance goes a long way. Neglect the machine and it will let you down. Neglect our bodies and we have either a mental or physical (or both) breakdown.

"I don't even like to sleep - I feel as if there's too much to do."
  --- James Franco

There is always stuff to do. We can work at our business for 24 hours a day, every day, and still not feel we've scratched the surface. The work is always there, but we must heed the warning signs. There are plenty of ex-business leaders wishing they had taken time off to rejuvenate and get refreshed. The work is easier, the colors brighter, the smells fresher, and the people nicer after we've rested.

Take some time today to schedule a rest day or rest morning or afternoon. You know that if you don't schedule it, it won't happen. Be nice to you and you will be glad for it.

"If a man insisted always on being serious, and never allowed himself a bit of fun and relaxation, he would go mad or become unstable without knowing it."
  --- Herodotus