Taking a Break
I decided to take a break from work - this is what I did and what I found.
Intro
In December 2023 I posted to LinkedIn to let people know that I was taking a break after roughly a decade of running Dienst Consulting and two mergers and aquisitions. So, what did I do, how do I feel now and when did I know it was time to get back into the swing of things.
What did I do during my break
In my post I outlined that I needed a break to re-charge the batteries, find more time for friends and family and find better balance. When I was running Dienst, I would be lucky if I had 5-10 days off in that 10 year period and at times was working like 2 engineers and running the business with it being common place to do 80+ hours in a week with a young family. Clearly that needed to change but I found it pretty difficult to break the habbit and that includes getting more than 4-6 hours sleep.
So with that in mind, I took a break from technology as much as I could and aimed to do more with my family. I’ve certainly had a long list of things to do around the house that I just never got to and have aimed to be more present with school and other family activities. I took time to think about my goals, plans and how I could give back and have as have decided I’d like to mix things up a bit with regards to the work I do as you’ll see from this site which is very much a work in progress.
I have taken time to rest more and to look after my health with big changes to diet and exercise that have left me feeling fitter than ever and the lightest I’ve been since I was a teenager. This includes signing up for some challenging events this year including cycling the Peaks Challenge
Finally I’ve made plans for various areas of study I wish to do and have made a start on that recently with many exams etc to come this year.
How do I feel now?
Well, in short I feel energized and have clarity in what I want to do and what I want to achieve over the coming years. I’m excited for the year ahead and re-engaging with both new and old faces both at work and personally.
When did I know it was time?
In early January, around Australia Day I was riding through the Perth CBD and I looked at everyone rushing to get to the office. I thought at the time, how good is this, I don’t have to or want to do that right now. But, over the subsequent weeks once the family was back at work and school, I started to really get a sense of wanting to get back to working with people and putting my plans and goals into action. Getting a business setup again, engaging with contacts and getting meetings underway as well as starting studying has been super exciting and I’m glad to have that energy and drive return.
Summary
Don’t be afraid to take a break, re-assess your goals and motivators and sometimes rest is the best way to be more productive in the long run.