Skipping vacations is a a common mistake business owners make. What is the point of running your own business if it doesn’t give you the freedom to enjoy your life along the way?

You need to take a vacation.  Why?  Well besides the obvious benefits of rest and relaxation, here is a list of my top reasons to take a vacation:

1)   Clear your head – Bogged down with the day-to-day of running a business, you don’t have time to step back and think of the big picture. A long plane flight gives you a chance to unplug and think about your business from a distance.

2)   Inspiration – The brain works in mysterious ways when you let it. Seeing something completely unrelated to your business, a beautiful painting or amazing architecture, will sometimes start of stream of consciousness that allows you to come up with something out of the box.

3)  Grow your team –  When you are in the office it is easy for your team to bring every problem and decision to you. When you are not there, talented professionals will step up and handle things. This works well if you have given them guidelines before you left, and told them you would back their decision

4)  Get feedback – as your team handles your job, they often see things you have just accepted. Returning from a vacation is a great time to talk about systems and processes.

So after eight years, I started taking vacations. Of course technology has made it easy to stay on touch. With my iPad, I can forward emails that have to get handled right away, or chat with my team via Skype form anywhere in the world. The trick is to plan quick check-ins and then get back to your vacation

I wrote this post as I was resting my feet after a long day of touring. I found a strong WiFi signal in a street corner cafe in Madrid. I wrote as I  enjoyed the view and a great cup of cafe con leche, both of which I will miss when I return home. But only for a little while, until it’s time to take my next vacation