Thanks to another weekend getaway, Kelly had the chance to recharge! In the process of disconnecting from social media and getting in some decent R&R, she was reminded of the importance of taking intentional breaks on a consistent basis rather than something we try to squeeze in at the last second. Unfortunately, so many healthy high performers see breaks as taking away from the pace they need to keep up in order to succeed, but in actuality they’re just what we need to keep our lives in balance and give us time to readjust and reassess. The goal: make “health breaks” a part of our business plan. 

For this episode, Kelly helps you get over your apprehension toward taking a break (whether it’s a day off or a week off) and explains why taking time out for self-care will actually speed you up in the long run. As well, Kelly is opening up applications for her Ascend Mastermind, where she’ll help you optimize your performance and become the hero in your own life. If you’re interested and have any questions, drop Kelly a line on social media or sign up for the Ascend mailing list at http://www.kellytravis.net/ascendlist.

The Finer Details of This Episode:

- What new and current students can expect out of Kelly’s upcoming Ascend Mastermind.

- The reason Kelly chose to “disconnect” on her mountain retreat over the weekend and how it benefited her.

- Why the excuses you have for not taking time off are B.S.

- Why Kelly sees balancing work, life and health as a marathon, and how that should affect your pace.

- How our modern world of constant connection to email and social media puts us into vicious little dopamine-release cycles that are difficult to break away from.

- The reason you should deliberately plan breaks rather than just grab them when you can.

- Breaking down a study that explores American attitudes toward taking breaks and how a shocking number of people choose not to take them.

- Looking at the health benefits of taking breaks, and how we can be negatively impacted if we don’t.

- Why an extended break can be just what you need to get your creative juices flowing—just be sure to turn your phone off!

- A study that shows that time off improves performance and retention

- How to get comfortable (and started) scheduling your time off

- TAKE ACTION: look through your schedule and start to concretely prepare for time off in the near future.

Quotes:

“Take a moment to just reflect and think about where you are at and where you want to go.”

“It’s okay to take some time away for yourself.”

“Life is effing short, and that alone should be reason enough to take the time to enjoy it.”

“Rest is a performance-enhancer, not an inhibitor.”

“There’s a sense of guilt and shame about totally disconnecting.”

“There are other elements to a healthy existence outside of your career or your business.”

“If you’ve got big goals for your career or your business, it’s time to take these breaks.”

“Start viewing self-care time or health breaks as a non-negotiable and as part of your business plan.”

Show Links:

Ascend Mastermind - http://www.kellytravis.net/ascend

Kelly’s homepage - http://www.kellytravis.net

Podcast homepage - http://www.kellytravis.net/podcast