How I Started Seeing Results In My Business

If you are working long hours, marking items off your never-ending to-do list, and are religiously setting goals and action steps in your small business, but still aren’t seeing the results you want, then I invite you to read my story as I found myself in that exact situation a while ago.

here’s my story.

One evening at home, I was sitting on my lounge suite severely overwhelmed. My business had not met the target that I had set for it, the house was a mess, business and personal bills were piling up, and I had not had any vacation time in years because I couldn’t spare the time off. Despite all my best efforts, I felt such a sense of helplessness and resentment towards everything. Perhaps you can relate?

I knew I had to change something – immediately.

I decided to confide in someone close to me, hoping to gain some outside perspective on my current situation. Once I had unloaded my situation and resentment, I sat waiting expectantly for something that I could ponder and turn into an action plan to get me on the course I had determined for myself.

Their response completely threw me off course.

“You need to Rest” was the answer I received. It certainly was an extremely simplistic solution for the complex issues that I was experiencing so I was not convinced in its merit.

After that conversation ended, I thought it over and decided to test if rest would have any impact. At that moment in time, I was willing to try anything my personal beliefs would allow to change my current situation, so a day off sounded like a fairly painless solution.

There’s a reason why God took a day off after He created the earth.

That one day spent completely unplugged from my day-to-day tasks did absolute wonders for me. In a short space of time, I managed to complete items that were on my to-do list for months. I set new goals and drafted actionable steps for these goals, my family was happier, cash flow was improving, and my overall productivity was at a record high.

Recommended In The Blog: Simple Tips To Boost Your Productivity >>

Why is rest so critical to our emotional and professional success?

Other than the obvious perks like quality time to spend on something you really enjoy, there are some really important medical benefits that lowering stress levels can have on your body.

Improves memory.

Studies have shown that something as small and simple as resting with your eyes closed in a dark room for 10 minutes can drastically improve your mind’s ability to retain new information.

Assists with maintaining a healthy weight.

Some people comfort eat in times of stress. While a tub of ice-cream may give you with a quick feel-good fix, what’s not so “quick” is getting rid of the extra kilograms that it add to our body. Stress also raises our cortisol levels which can derail your body’s most important functions.

Reduces your risk of heart disease:

Studies have linked high levels of stress to blood clots which increase your chances of heart attacks, as well as persistently unhealthy elevated levels of adrenaline which may lead to heart disease.

Boosts your immune system.

Long-term chronic stress can have a devastating effect on your immune system. Not only does it create chronic inflammatory conditions, but a lowered immune system leaves you more susceptible to catching colds and influenza.

Other benefits of rest include.

• Boosts your capacity for creative and out-of-the-box thinking;
• A good rest can leave you feeling re-energised, refreshed and ready to take on the world;
• It boosts your morale and overall mood;
• By allowing yourself time-out to rest, it provides you with the opportunity to engage with loved ones and friends. We should make family timea priority in our lives. So often we forget this.

Relaxation tips to get you destressed in no time.

Prayer.

In Matthew 11:28, Jesus said, “Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest”. I know that in my deepest, darkest moments, my faith has pulled me through it all by simply engaging in conversation with my G-d.

Keep a journal.

I have found that writing down my thoughts at times allows me to see incidents from a different perspective. Having a fresh perspective can assist you with solutions to those issues. You may also be able to pick up on behaviour patterns that could be the root cause of your stress and work on fixing them.

Cut the technology cord.

Try picking up a book, playing a board game, learning an instrument or how to oil paint on canvas. Go cold turkey every no and then and have fun without technology. This article by Strategic Psychology explains how technology can cause stress in our lives.

Exercise. 

Exercise increases levels of epinephrine, serotonin, noradrenaline and dopamine which not only have a positive effect on energy levels but leave you feeling fantastic post-workout. If I need to detach myself from a particularly stressful day, doing a quick HIIT workout or lifting weights really helps me feel rejuvenated.

Get in touch with nature.

Studies focusing on environmental psychology conclude that humans have an “instinctive biophilia”. This is a deeply embedded instinct to seek out connections with nature. Positive side effects of getting in touch with nature include reduced stress, improved mood and improved cognitive performance (perception, reasoning skills, etc.). I make time to visit my local botanical garden or local park at least once a week to reconnect with nature and get some exercise and fresh air in my system.

Music doth soothe the savage beast.

While slow, quiet, classical music has long been cited as an extremely effective relaxation tool, any calm music will do. Classical music is not for everyone so go with what feels right for you. I personally have created a playlist on Spotify that is my go-to when I have had a particularly challenging day.

If you think that rest cannot have that much of an impact on your success, I challenge you today to re-evaluate your opinion. Start small by having a forced rest day once a week and set working hours for yourself that you stick to. I still have to catch myself every so often as I am a recovering workaholic, but the benefits of taking time out to rest are too many to ignore.

This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our affiliate disclaimer here >>