How often do you take a break?

In this video, Virtual Done Well Founder Rob O’Byrne talks about how important taking a break is in order to get new business ideas.

You know one of the most important lessons that I’ve learned over the years in running my own businesses, and consulting businesses in particular, is that it’s really important to take a break.

Hi, this is Rob O’Byrne from Logistics Bureau. If you’re wondering where I am, I’m here in Boracay in the Philippines and this lesson that I’m talking about took me probably 20 years to learn! I would be head down in the business every day, working really long hours and you never seem to get off the treadmill.

And you know when I make those really great breakthroughs and growth spurts in the business, it’s when I’ve taken time out, taking the opportunity to step back from the day to day, I actually take time to plan the future.

So if I could give you one tip on growing your business it would be: make sure you take regular time out.

I’m actually here with family, just for a week or so this time, taking a break, we’re going on to visit other places after this and it’s a chance to unwind and you know what happens when you start to unwind? You get ideas.

You can’t turn off totally, I never do. But just a different environment and the relaxation, I start to get great ideas for business. I would also urge you to not only take time out to have proper breaks like this, proper holidays, but take time out to get out and experience new environments in terms of business. Maybe I’ll talk about this in another video, but I always make sure I’m taking a part in at least on coaching program just to stretch me, stretch my thinking a little bit and try to get new ideas for business and that works really well too.

So the key lesson for all of this? Take time out in two ways: One, for breaks like this or wherever you can get away for a weekend, for a week, for two weeks, whatever; and Two: expose yourself to different environments that are gonna help you generate new ideas as well.”

Rob O’Byrne is also the Group Managing Director of Logistics Bureau, Australia’s leading Supply Chain and Logistics Consulting Company. You can get in contact with him through email or +61 417 417 307.