When should you take a break?
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Hi Reader, I often tell marketing clients, “Focus on the right things, not all the things. Trying to be everywhere at once just dilutes your efforts.” This summer, I had to take some of my own advice when I hit pause on my MBA. If you’re anything like me, you know it’s not always easy to take your own advice. 😉 I had little choice, though. When the semester ended in June, I was exhausted. The end of the semester coincided with all the big things we have happening at Drio. There was our Switzerland trip for WordCamp, developments for our new WholeSite website platform, big client launches, projects for Monument Women’s Creative Alliance… Somehow, I still managed to get an A in the final class, but I won’t lie. I fought hard for that A. A piece of me still really wanted to continue school through the summer so I could “just knock one more class off my list!” At the same time, the little voice inside me knew that being flexible with my goals would be best in the long run. Little by little, I negotiated with myself (let me tell you, I'm a hard negotiator). I sat at the table with my husband one morning and said, “Okay, I’m taking a break.” Verbalizing it to someone else sealed the deal. He agreed it was a good call. I’d decided it was best to take the break on a high note. It was almost like the “A” was saying, “You go, girl. Take a breather—you deserve it.” If I’d waited until I was flunking my classes or falling way behind with business, the break would have felt like a failure. Instead, it felt like an intentional decision. It was something worth celebrating, and it meant I was able to channel more energy into other priorities over the summer. I return to my MBA at the end of this month, and now I feel like I’m going to finish the race strong instead of completely breathless and toppling over my feet. I’ll also head into this last leg with the satisfaction that I’ve put plenty of energy into my business in the meantime. And, hello, my business is a huge reason why I’m doing my MBA. Taking a break doesn’t mean you're quitting or failing. It’s a sign of strategic business ownership, marketing, or life management—whatever it is you’re navigating. Your focus is a valuable resource, so don’t waste it trying to cover everything at once. Your Fellow Want-To-Do-It-All-er,
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Hi! I'm Rachel, the Left Brain of Drio.
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