Most of my clients are entrepreneurs and business owners, many of whom are also home-based. They are hardworking and dedicated people, who typically love what they are doing in their business. The idea of taking downtime for recreation and play often stops them short, however. I also have to remind myself often of the need to simply take time off to relax, play and just plain have fun! Yet rest and rejuvenation is a necessity if you want to keep those creative juices flowing and avoid burn-out and stress.

In their book, The Power of Full Engagement, Jim Loehr and Tony Schwartz explain that the key to high performance is how you manage your energy. They draw their research from athletic teams, where the practice is to train, play and then recuperate after the game. We all know that when you work out your muscles you need to give them a rest in order for the fibers to heal and get even stronger. Yet many entrepreneurs remain so engaged in their business on a 24/7 basis, we forget or even resist the need for our minds and bodies to rest and recuperate.

The ability to listen to our intuition and let our creativity flow from us easily and brilliantly is critical. When we keep forging ahead regardless of fatigue or stress, we shift into a “driving and striving” kind of energy. That’s an appropriate choice when you’re working on a deadline, but when you’re trying to brainstorm new ideas or reach out and develop new partnerships, it’s not an attractive energy to be bringing.

Having a play date with yourself, or with others, is a great way to keep your internal connection to your brilliance strong. It will definitely help to clear your head and help keep your creativity primed. Block off a standing play date with yourself on a regular basis in your calendar. Do whatever brings you joy. You might catch an afternoon matinee, visit the museum, or take a cooking class. You could take a day to workout, meet with friends and work on a non-business related project you want to tackle.

I’ll bet you’ll be amazed at how refreshed and energized you’ll feel when you get back to your desk after your play date!

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