My original plan for this blog was an attempt at something useful that would convince entrepreneurs that they really do need vacations in their life.
That went nowhere quickly. I’m not sure I could say anything that hasn’t been said in a way that could be any more compelling.
So, for fun, I went to the dictionary and looked up “vacation” in hopes in some inspiration. The definition itself was no help; then I scrolled down the page. It turns out that “vacation” can be confused with “vocation” – I thought that was just too good to pass up.
In case you are unsure of the exact meaning of vocation, it is not just a job. A person’s vocation is their calling, that thing that turns “just a job” into a career or profession. People who make their living in their vocation are likely to work well past retirement age. They may officially retire, but they always seem to have their fingers, toes, and brain in the game.
Personally, I see myself writing to my final days. I do plan to become extremely selective with my projects, but I’ll still be writing.
Now, no matter how much I love writing, how much it is my calling, there is still WORK involved. Having a writing business means that I do more than write. There’s the marketing; the bookkeeping; the scheduling; the meeting with prospects, clients, and referral sources – you know, all that business owner stuff. Even if I were to hire out all the non-writing tasks, I’d still need to keep on top of the message, bills, and employees. And there are the days when even the writing doesn’t come easy.
And oddly, this brings me back to my original point – taking vacations.
You know the joke: An entrepreneur is someone who will work 80 hours a week so that they don’t have to work a 40-hour week. These people are on fire, following that siren song of their vocation. Right up to when they fall on their faces completely burnt out.
Working in your vOcation may make you feel like the luckiest person alive, but you are still working. In fact, you’re probably working harder than your normal worker bee because you love what you do so much. Hard work not only deserves a vAcation – it requires one. Our brains and bodies need breaks. Time away does actually make us better upon our return.
So, no matter your vocation, take a vacation to better heed the needs of your business and your life.