I'm bad at breaks

People ask me all the time: what's the hardest part of running a 1 person company?

My answer changes from month to month, but one candidate that's always near the top of the list is knowing when to take an extended break.

I don't want to overly generalize, but I think it's fair to say that being a solopreneur isn't like having a Job. When you have a Job, your 8 hours/day includes interludes like checked-out meetings and socializing with your team.

There's nothing wrong with having a Job, and many people's Jobs are much, much harder than that.

But by contrast, solopreneur work is a default high-intensity endeavor. Want to grow your company? You better be dialed in. Every sales meeting is an opportunity to grow or shrink. No one can help you, and your performance is the only thing that affects how much money you make.

Because working alone is high-intensity, it makes sense to take breaks more often. A good guideline I've heard is:

• 3 days off in a row per month

• 5-7 days off in a row per quarter

I try to practice what I preach, but man I'm bad at following this advice. There's always another thing I could be doing to grow my business and I’m a sucker to chase it.

Once in a while, I pay the price—like this week. I know I've pushed it too far because:

1. I’m get distracted more easily.

2. I’m find it harder to stay in my daily routine.

3. I can't say which goals are most important at the moment.

Time to fix that.

I’m logging off early to start the long week. Happy 4th of July everyone.