{"id":393,"date":"2017-07-26T15:51:30","date_gmt":"2017-07-26T15:51:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/advicoach1.wpengine.com\/va\/2017\/07\/26\/small-business-owners-shouldnt-skip-summer\/"},"modified":"2017-07-26T16:40:18","modified_gmt":"2017-07-26T16:40:18","slug":"small-business-owners-shouldnt-skip-summer","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/advicoach.com\/va\/2017\/07\/26\/small-business-owners-shouldnt-skip-summer\/","title":{"rendered":"Small Business Owners Shouldn\u2019t Skip Summer"},"content":{"rendered":"

In our adult years, we may think that summer is something that only children get to enjoy, but in reality, the busier we get September through May, the more important the notion of a summer break becomes\u2026especially for small business owners who are in the habit of working nights, weekends, holidays and everything in between.<\/p>\n

Perhaps you don\u2019t take vacations. Or, if you do, you always bring work along with you. If you sleep with your smartphone and answer emails round-the-clock, maybe it\u2019s time to take a road trip or spend a week or two someplace tropical.<\/p>\n

We\u2019re sure you have a long list of reasons why you shouldn\u2019t take a summer vacation, or why you should buckle down and put in longer hours, but what about the reasons why you should take a physical and mental break (other than the fact that you deserve it!)?<\/p>\n

What the Studies Say<\/strong><\/h4>\n

According to Glassdoor\u2019s\u00a0Q1 2014 Employment Confidence Survey<\/a>, \u201cOn average, employees took 51% of their eligible time off in the past 12 months.\u201d And of those employees who have taken vacation\/paid time off, 61% reported working while on vacation. Those statistics are for employees<\/em> with paid vacation; they don\u2019t take into account the number of business owners who fail to take time off to rest and recharge their batteries, a common, yet unhealthy practice among small business owners.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s a shame when business owners forgo vacations. Taking time away from one\u2019s business offers many benefits, both physically and psychologically. In fact, taking some much-needed downtime may reduce the risk of heart disease, anxiety, stress, and depression, while boosting productivity. But what about your loved ones and your employees? If you were happier, would a vacation benefit everyone around you too? Absolutely, you aren\u2019t the only one who will benefit from a summer vacation.<\/p>\n

Vacations Are Good for Your Health<\/h4>\n

Terry Hartig, an environmental psychologist at Uppsala University in Sweden told the Washington Post<\/em> that when people go on vacation, they\u2019re happier and more relaxed. While that\u2019s a no-brainer, too many business owners fail to take time off for themselves, often at the expense of their health. Hartwig\u2019s published study<\/a> found that summer was by far the happiest time \u2013 that\u2019s when there was the steepest decline in anti-depressant prescriptions, the Washington Post<\/em><\/a> reported. We are not surprised!<\/p>\n

Here are six reasons why taking a vacation is better for your health:<\/p>\n