144: The Difference Between a Work Vacation and a Family Vacation
In March, I was lucky enough to have two vacations! I took a work vacation by myself in the mountains, and I took a vacation with my family to Turks and Caicos. The work vacation was meant to help me focus on work and accomplish as much as I could in a couple of days. The family vacation was meant for me to have fun and not think about work. Both vacations were awesome, and both were great for my business, even though one is all about business and the other has nothing to do with business. You can listen to why I loved both vacations on this episode of the InvestFourMore Real Estate Podcast.
What is a work vacation?
A work vacation was something that I decided to do after reading The War of Art and Deep Work. Both books talk about how important it is to spend long periods of time focusing on your work in order to do the best job you can do. I took a couple of days to stay in a friend’s cabin in Estes Part by myself with minimal distractions. I recorded a lot of videos; I planned a lot of things in my business; and I was able to take a break from the hustle and bustle at home or in my office. I wrote an article on my work vacation here:
What did I do for my family vacation?
My wife and I have gone to Turks and Caicos the last two years and love it there. It is one of the most beautiful places I have ever been. This year, we decided to take our kids as well. It was their first time out of the country, and they loved the trip. We stayed at a very nice hotel and had wonderful views of the ocean. We hung out on the beach, took a boat trip, explored the islands a little, and relaxed. When I went on the family vacation, my goal was to work as little as I could. However, it still helps my business. Below is a video of the resort we stayed at, and I will have a much more in-depth video on the islands coming Saturday.
How can going on vacation help your business?
Vacations can help your business even when you are not doing any work. In fact, not doing and work and not thinking about any work can be amazing for your business. I usually come up with my best ideas when I am not working. I let my brain relax. I stop telling it to do things. And in turn, my brain is able to give me some good ideas. I just have to be sure I have some way to remember the brilliant ideas I get while I am on vacation.
What if you cannot take vacations?
Vacations can be extremely motivating. I love the ocean, the beach, exploring new areas, and spending time with my family. I am fortunate to make a lot of money with real estate and to have the ability to take these trips. If you are not in a position to be able to take vacations, use them as a goal. Remind yourself of how nice it will be to sit on the beach; picture yourself looking at the ocean or wherever it is you want to go.
If you have the money but not the time, that is another problem. I have a lot of people who help me and who I can rely on. I have worked really hard to build a business that can function without me. It is not perfect, but I can go on vacation with doing very little work. If you are in a position where you have to work and cannot take time off, change something. A lot of people claim they prefer to do it all on their own, but what happens if you get sick or hurt? Who will run things at that point?
Vacations are amazing for the body and soul as well as for your business. If you don’t have the time or money to take time off, you are missing out. Work vacations can be amazing as well for your business and getting work done. Most of us do not focus well because there is so much going on all around us. It is hard to produce quality work when all that is going on. I wrote a book on success and habits that can help you be more successful and happier.