We’re about to round second base on the year and kick off towards home plate. Does the idea of pushing yourself to accelerate and notching it up a gear seems daunting right now? Are you tired? You’ve been pushing hard since mid-January and my guess is that your tank is about out of gas. Before you round that bend, you might need to re-fuel.

Not sure if you’re running on fumes? Look for these signs:

  • It’s tougher to get excited about new work, email inquiries, or even awesome client results.
  • Your attention span is shrinking. Every shiny object, squirrel, and Netflix series is calling your
    name.
  • You’re not walking the agency as much (if you’re back in the office) — when you get in, you isolate yourself and hunker down in your office.
  • You’re having a hard time getting revved up to chase new opportunities.
  • You aren’t as productive. Just getting through your must do list is a bit of a struggle.

Many of you will misinterpret these signs as indicators of age, waning interest, or perhaps that it’s time to hang up your cleats. For 99% of you, that’s just not the case. It just means you’re tired and need to recharge. Agency owners are not so great at that, so you need to be intentional about it. Here’s how to get the energy you need to round the bend and finish strong.

Plan a getaway to someplace that will fill you up. Based on budget, family responsibilities, health issues or other factors — this is going to be very unique to you. But every single one of you has the capacity to get away for a few days, unplug and reboot. Your agency will survive your absence and in fact, may be better/stronger because of it. You are an amazing safety net but people stretch to new realities once they’re forced to take the risks and do it on their own. Give yourself the breather and give your team the boost of confidence that your absence communicates to them.

Depending on who you are — that might be hitting Thunder Mountain at Disney World’s Magic Kingdom. For others, it might be renting a cabin in the mountains and trout fishing or a villa in Italy for a month and taking cooking classes. Whether it’s an antiquing weekend or chasing after grandkids — find what replenishes you and get it in the books. But the key is — truly get away. Don’t call in every morning. Don’t spend hours on email every day. Take naps, surround yourself with joyful people, and just breathe.

Don’t confuse this with “the kids are out of school and now we’re running around like banshees trying to get to every soccer game, dance recital, camp show, and garage sale.” I am talking about making and taking time for you. I’m all for the extra family time we get in the summer but that’s just a different kind of busy. I am talking about the opposite of busy. I am talking about being in a place, away or with people who fill you up.

Agency ownership is a long haul. We all need to slow down and just replenish our energy now and then. I think it’s time.

 

This was originally published in the weekly AMI newsletter.  To subscribe, click here.