The Power of True Rest to Aid Success

Rest - It means a lot of different things to a lot of different people.

You need to rest as an Entrepreneur

You've seen those pictures, inspirational quotes and social media posts that depict a tower block of apartments in the middle of the night. All of the lights are out apart from one and an arrow is pointing to the one that is still on saying "Entrepreneur"

Life does not have to be this way

I know that the hustle, the graft and the hard work needs to be put in when you're a business owner and entrepreneur, but the importance of rest is often overlooked.

Let me share truth right now. Your business will be more successful if you find time to rest and protect that time at all costs.

In my first business I made the mistake of thinking that this picture of the entrepreneur, in their apartment up late at night when everybody else is sleeping, was the way in which I had to run my business. I would be up and out early, working all day and then return home from the office late, only to then do it all again the next day. Weekends saw me on the laptop and it was constant.

I didn't realise how my decision to work in this way was affecting relationships with my family and my friends, together with the effect that it had on my health.

It was only when the business collapsed 2009 that I realised I had neglected everything and everyone.

I was stressed out, overweight and seriously unfit.

My sleeping patterns were not that great.

My relationships were worse.

The power of rest transformed everything from me

My only choice after my business went bust was to consider a job. The requirement of having a steady income to repay debt and remove some of the stress and pressures on my household led me down that one path, to become employed.

In getting a job I was able to switch off at 5:30 PM every day. I was able to have my evenings and weekends back. And in this, many things changed.

• I was able to rekindle the relationship with my wife and spend quality time with her
• My children started to see me again
• Friends who I only ever really spoke about work with the drifted away from me, were open to spending time with me again
• I started to think about what I was eating, drinking and I even attempted a regular cycle into work
• And we planned family vacations - something I had missed sorely

With my stress levels reduced, my relationships seemingly to be back on track, I recognised the true value of spending time with my family - and this time is very precious to me.

The Rest that I'm speaking of and that I hold dear today, is Rest from work in the form of:

• Active rest (spending the day out with my wife and children) 
• Proper "screen free" recreation time
• True rest - stillness, silence and mindfulness

Today, think about your priorities in life and how much time you need to now blocking your diary for times of rest.