Get a Life!

As season two of the podcast wraps up, it’s time to reflect on the concept of taking genuine holidays as business owners. With Christmas around the corner, many of us are craving a break. But are we really disconnecting, or are we bringing work along for the ride? Join Nicky and Ness as they explore the importance of stepping away and how to truly switch off.

Episode Highlights:

• Startling statistics on how often business owners take holidays and how many never disconnect.
• Personal stories from clients who found freedom through unplugging.
• The detrimental effects of “leaveism” on mental and physical health.
• Entrepreneurial addiction and why it’s so easy to fall into.
• Strategies for fully disconnecting, like choosing places without Wi-Fi.
• Reflecting on our beliefs around work and success, and how they impact our ability to take time off.

Learn more about Nicky and Ness https://businesstogether.com.au

Buy a copy of Healthy Hustle: The New Blueprint to Thrive in Business & Life www.healthyhustle.com.au

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Nicky LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/connectwithnicky/
Ness LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/vanessamedling/

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Nicky Miklos-Woodley 0403 191 404
Vanessa (Ness) Medling 0400 226 875

Or send us an email hello@businesstogether.com.au

Music by Jules Miklos-Woodley

Chapters

• 0:04 The Importance of Taking Holidays
• 7:24 Mindset Shift Towards Taking Leave
• 10:58 Breaking Barriers to Taking Holidays

Transcript

Nicky: 0:04

Welcome to the Smart Business Growth Podcast with Nikki and. Ness.

Ness: 0:11

We would like to acknowledge the traditional custodians of country, the Turrbal and Bunurong people of Brisbane and Melbourne respectively, where Nikki and I both work and live, both work and live Well, I think, given that we've come to the end of season two of the podcast today, it's a fitting time for us to reflect on holidays. We're coming up to Christmas break. We have probably a lot of us reaching the end of that. You know the draw up to Christmas as we go. I just need a break and I'm really curious to know just how many business owners are taking holidays a real break, not a I'd love to get this done over the holidays break, which is the trap I fell into when I started my first business but an actual turn off from everything. Break.

Ness: 1:04

Because when we were doing research for the book, the stats that we found were that 43% so little under half of small business owners take at least four weeks annually, that's, leave away from the business and a little over 25% two weeks or less, and 14% don't even remember when they took their last holiday. And it's interesting because this kind of resonates with when I think of some of our clients, some of my colleagues out there in the business world. I think of Jodie, one of our clients who had not had a holiday without contact to the business in years prior to working with us. Like she could not remember a time she didn't have to take the phone with her, do some work while she was away, and then just her joy and elation, that first holiday break that she took with no contact, not even from her children, adult children Mom, could you do this? She was switched off completely, which was amazing.

Ness: 2:03

And I remember Michael he was a franchise holder of a GJ Gardner business back in Bairnsdale amazing guy, amazing business. But he was always taking a laptop with him. He'd go away, sometimes on a conference, and they'd have a holiday afterwards and they'd always be that contact with the business. So not even a real break. And I just think that this is so important for us to pause and think about. What is it for us? Are we actually getting away? Are we making the time and the difference to do that? Why do you think that matters so much, nick?

Nicky: 2:39

Well, I mean, the thing that's coming up for me as you're talking through this, ness, is one of the key things is we didn't go into business to have a like think about it a job where we don't even get our four weeks annual leave a year. So you know, if you're listening, you're a leader, a business owner. I bet you anything, your team, you encourage them to take holidays because there's some really good upsides From a business point of view. There's good cost risk management in terms of not accruing too much annual leave, but also, when you have a holiday, it is so good for your physical, mental, emotional health. When we don't have holidays, when we keep doing the grind, we get stuck into the day-to-day and get stuck in the busy trap. Let's face it. We're actually not living with optimal energy. We're maybe more cranky humans. We're not as great to be around, probably not showing up in our relationships as well as we could, but it's really easy for that to become the norm and we don't even realize it.

Nicky: 3:39

So I think there's a few different benefits. There's a business cost benefit. There is just being a healthy, happy human benefit, and we've talked a fair bit over the last few months about this entrepreneurial addiction when you are not taking your holidays or not switching off. We know that. Also, statistically, 77% of business owners think about their business while still on holidays and we might think about it every now and then. But that link to entrepreneurial addiction if you're not taking holidays and understanding what's driving that and why, or if you have, if you're one of the 14% I think it was that don't remember when the last time they took a holiday, it might be really uncomfortable when you first do because you might feel lost. So there's that link around. If you're feeling lost and you don't actually know how to have holidays and switch off anymore, you could be addicted to your work, which is a fairly easy trap to fall into.

Nicky: 4:32

So I think there's a few different reasons there to have a look at around. You know, making sure, hang on. If I'm, whatever percentage you fall into, what has actually stopped me? What is stopping me? And if I am one of the 43% that are actually taking at least four weeks, am I switching off, because that's another factor. Am I taking my?

Ness: 4:52

laptop. That's right. And that terminology leaveism Leaveism meaning that you're thinking about your business whilst you're on holidays, whether or even if you're sick, you're thinking about and doing something to do with business. So it's. I remember my partner and I. He loves going on cruises and one of the things that he said to me before we went on our cruise was there's actually no mobile range you can like, you won't be able to, or wifi must be, must be no wifi range. You can pay quite high amounts per day to get access to Wi-Fi on the ship. And it always amazes him because he's a very early riser and so he'd be down having coffee as soon as the doors open in the you know that area and he would see particularly men, but he would see people sitting on their laptops working and he thinks to himself people sitting on their laptops working, and he thinks to himself, hey, mate you're on a holiday, like be with your family.

Ness: 5:54

You have got so many options of things you could be doing with your time on a cruise, and are you really that important?

Ness: 5:58

Like he just doesn't come at it from that concept, Like, are you just trying to stroke your ego around? Yeah, what it is. Now, I don't want to take away from the fact that sometimes you know there could be really big things happening in the workplace that you need to be a part of, and sometimes it does feel like a good compromise to be spending part of the time with your family and then part of the time working. But really, what we're wanting for you to think about from this conversation today is how can you find an opportunity to take time out where you actually switch off, Because there are benefits to that and we think about in it's now law in Australia around not being able to contact people employees outside of work. That was something that came that actually went into law as you were studying and researching for the book, wasn't?

Nicky: 6:47

it Just in the last few months. So the right to disconnect. So next quick question how did you feel about not being allowed to take your laptop and not having internet range on the cruise?

Ness: 6:58

Actually, really freeing. Yeah, it was. It's been like initially I go, no, I don't mind taking my laptop, but then I went. But my phone what no? Instagram? Because sometimes I associate that with downtime and that with fun. So what excites me about that is actually being fully present to enjoy whatever comes up in the moment and for us to actually just have some time together without distractions of the world.

Nicky: 7:24

So it's like going back to the old we kind of talk about in the book, a little bit about this going back to the old ways or this slow living movement, and interesting because even it might be not technically work but the socials, the doom scrolling, or you know, sometimes there's a crossover and I think another important point that was made is that if you are having an intentional work from anywhere holiday, if you're having an intentional, I, like you said, I want to pause on that moment for a minute.

Nicky: 7:54

You know that could be different. You might have times and holidays which is like a working holiday, so that's great. And are you also having time where you can completely switch off? And so many conversations I feel like I've had and I know my goal was to have a work from anywhere business, but also now I'm like, yeah, but I want to have more than four weeks holidays because I own my business. Like this is the thing, and Jodie is such a great example of that installing a team and helping coach them so that they can step up, so that she can step back.

Ness: 8:24

You know this is not a unique kind of story, so I just had to jump in you know, this is not a unique kind of story, so I just had to jump in and, um, that's right, and it's always, like you know, if you can find somewhere that has no mobile range, that's probably an added bonus yeah, norfolk Island is another good one.

Nicky: 8:37

Uh, I remember.

Ness: 8:39

I always remember when, um back in when my son was in high school, so attached to his phone 24 7, we went to Wahulla for a day Wahulla's in the country, in Victoria and I said to him there's no mobile range there. And I remember we arrived, he gets out of the car and he's checking his phone. He goes mum, mum, my phone's not working. And I went yeah, I know I told you there's no mobile range. And he's like yeah, but I thought when you said no, you meant just really bad mobile range. I'm like no, no, no, absolutely none. So sometimes that force to switch off is quite incredible. To have that experience, to be really present to where you are and what you're doing.

Nicky: 9:18

Isn't that a great example of where we are in this modern day world as well, and what the younger people, the younger generations? But no means not much, or?

Ness: 9:27

poor quality like no actually means nothing.

Nicky: 9:30

Yeah, yeah, what? There's still places in the world where there's no mobile range. That's right. That is a good strategy to do. If you are finding it's really hard to switch off, then you can choose places that have like a cruise yeah, exactly, or expensive, you know, as long as you don't get sucked into paying for the extra.

Ness: 9:47

Yeah, have you heard? Our book Healthy Hustle the new blueprint to thriving business and life, is available right now to purchase. In Healthy Hustle, we take you through real world, practical and achievable steps to move you away from unhealthy hustle to a place of happiness and living, whilst continuing to achieve incredible business results. Order your copy now at healthyhustlecomau. So what do you think needs to happen if somebody's resonating with that small percentage of people? What did we say? It was 14%, not even remembering when they had the holiday or just only 25%, taking, you know, two weeks.

Ness: 10:27

What do we need to shift within us in order to be able to start that change in the way that we view the importance of taking leave?

Nicky: 10:37

Well, I think we need to first of all ask yourself actually, here's a good one, I would take a holiday, but and finish that sentence and see what comes up, because it's either going to be something quite obvious, like I don't have the team, or, you know, my team aren't ready for me to step away, or I just don't have a leader that can take over.

Nicky: 10:57

You know sort of the obvious ones. But it could also be something a little bit deeper, because the first place we want to have a look at this is at what are our beliefs telling us? We were just guests on a podcast and had such a great conversation this morning about and we talk about this a lot those beliefs that are continuously embedded in us as kids, as we grow up, around hard work, around success. It could be a belief that's saying, well, I'm the boss, so I have to work the hardest, as an example, or I don't want my team to see that I'm slacking off as another example. You may resonate with that, but you might not. But you know, really, when you ask yourself I would take holidays, or if you take holidays, I would switch off, but whatever comes after that but is the biggest barrier and, again could be really obvious structural things. But dig deeper. You could even ask yourself that a few different times to see it's like what else, what else? Yeah, that's a really good one.

Ness: 11:51

Yeah, that belief system around who you are, and I guess the thing that also comes to my mind is the entrepreneurial addiction. You know, that inability to switch off, and you know, one of the problems that some business owners face when they are able to extract themselves from the business, when they do develop a team who can do their work on their behalf, is that sense of there's a sense of loss, almost that ego isn't being stroked every day because you are the person that everyone must go to. You know, there's an element of martyrdom. I think that comes with that. It definitely makes us feel important and significant when something can't exist without us. So, even though we might have a belief that you know, oh no, I hate that. I hate the fact that everybody's relying on me and I've got to be the centerpiece, but there's some safety and comfort. I think, within that as well, that we're fulfilling our need for significance when somebody needs us to solve their problems.

Ness: 12:51

Yeah, so, having that really important and answering that question around I would have holidays, but I really want to challenge our viewers and listeners to think about. You know, am I the roadblock to this? What is it that I'm believing about me in the business that is stopping me from being able to take this leave, because everyone is deserving of it and we know that there actually is a problem with people who overwork not being productive. Yes, definitely, you know, like if we're talking about the ability to go away, what I love about being away from everything is you get to be creative. Yeah, maybe you get bored or maybe you seek adventure and you have so much going on that it sparks ideas, it rejuvenates us, it gets us back into that space of being innovative and you know, thinking of all these ways that we can enjoy our life, but then we can bring that newly. I guess it's the renewed what's what I'm looking for. It's like this vigour that comes back into the business with fresh eyes and feeling rested.

Nicky: 13:58

And it's really hard to see that we're not in that place when we're stuck in that busy trap and we're not taking holidays, but we feel like things are working okay. It's like when you do step back, sometimes in hindsight it's like, wow, okay, yeah, I really needed a holiday.

Nicky: 14:12

I really needed a break before that, and I think a barrier can also be that whole like if, who am I if I'm not that person that's constantly needed? Who am I if I'm not the person that steps in and saves the world? Ie solves all the problems. So another really good thing that you can do is actually it's about replacing it. So, if you're not doing so, if you go on a cruise, do something where you're actually filling that time with something else that's a little bit more resourceful.

Nicky: 14:39

And another key element of this is see to believe. So who do you know around you that has a successful business that are taking four weeks minimum? Guys, if you're a business owner, four weeks minimum. If you're a leader, make sure you're taking all of the leave that you have, but who around you is doing it and doing it well? And this is an opportunity to reconnect to what you enjoy, what you love, what's fun, and that's different for different people. So get curious and explore, like you said, ness, and we too often avoid the boredom, but the boredom is magical, because that's where creativity comes. That's why kids get so creative, isn't it?

Ness: 15:13

Yeah, for sure, and I think the other thing that comes up as we're talking about this for me is we think about the culture in a business. So have you got a culture that you know you have perpetuated yourself as a business owner, or you're ingrained in somewhere where you get a badge of honour for being the person who is never taking holidays because you're always available, you're always there? No, no, I'll work through Christmas and I'll work through Easter and I'll do that. It's the culture around. We work long hours, you know. What we know from the book is anything after 50 hours a week. You're actually no longer being productive.

Nicky: 15:54

I know I can believe that stuff.

Ness: 15:55

I mean I could, but yeah, so if you are someone who resonates with working really long hours, it's probably going to be harder for you to take that break away, because you have potentially created an environment where people are over-reliant on you, because you're setting the way for them, and so, even though you may really, really want to be able to disconnect from the workplace, you could have created an environment where that's not possible, and I think that if that's the case, what's your plan? What's your plan to work towards, to building your leaders up, to being able to cover in your absence? You know, the thing I always love talking about with business owners is let's plan for you to sell the business, whether you sell it or not, because the decisions that you will make in setting up a business to be sold are going to have to mean you step away, because no one's going to want to buy a business where you've got to work 80 hours a week and you never have a holiday.

Nicky: 16:54

Where's the value?

Ness: 16:56

in that, oh my gosh totally.

Nicky: 16:59

I mean again. I just go even the 25% that are taking two weeks or less. We get more when we are employed. We get more holidays and more support. Not necessarily well, I don't know if we get more support, but we actually take holidays. This one precious life we'll come back to this one precious life that we have. Is it just to work hard and grind?

Nicky: 17:22

oh, there's got to be more to it absolutely yeah what do you think is an actionable action that our listeners can you know who are really thinking about this? What can they do with this information other than book a holiday? Yeah, I was gonna say going to say one book some time off, even if it's a day, even if it's a day whatever like, just book some time off.

Ness: 17:43

And you know, you know, my belief used to be unless I had somewhere to go, there's no point in taking time off. Yes, I've struggled with this, but then last year I booked a week off around my birthday and it was spring and I just had a week at home and I potted and I decluttered and I did little jobs and I really actually quite enjoyed that. So I had to break my belief pattern around you've got to actually be going somewhere to have a holiday. So I guess, in light of that, my actionable action is coming back to one of the things we talk about in the book called outrageous opposites. So if we have, you know I would have a holiday, but and we've come up with all our list of things as to why we can't what would be the completely outrageous part of that?

Ness: 18:30

The other side, the flip side, right? So, for example, if it's because I need to be available to my team all the time, would the outrageous opposite of that be I'm going to take six weeks away from the business and then if you go, wow, what would I have to do to end up with six weeks out of the business? What structure or systems would need to be in place for me to do that. So I really want to challenge your thinking. If you are not in that percentage that are taking a minimum of four weeks, let's get really, really clear on what the block is. And then just the starting point would be to flip it and go what would be the completely outrageous part of that? And then really sit there and go well, how would I plan that out? Because if you go six weeks in your mind you can bring that back to four.

Nicky: 19:20

Yeah, does that make sense? I feel like new rule all business owners, minimum six weeks annual leave, which is going to create some interesting feelings for people listening. It absolutely makes sense. So write down what the barriers were through. I would X, y, z, but, or I would switch off, but, and then what's? The outrageous opposite. Don't get too caught up on but it's not, it can't happen. Just write it down and then you can start to get curious and creative about how to make it happen. And I do think also look at your calendar. If you don't have any holidays or days off in the next three months, six months this is actually the perfect time of year. So Ness and I, at this time of year, in December or sometimes even in November, we'll block out our 12 months of holidays for the next year. Now, some of it might change. That's fine, we'll change it, but there's something about having it in the calendar. So even if you are just putting an extra day somewhere, if that's a stretch for you, put something in your calendar as well.

Ness: 20:18

Gonna pop that as a bonus one and if you are taking holidays over Christmas and some businesses do that's their peak period, so you're having it elsewhere. We just want to say have a beautiful break, enjoy the healthiness of being able to step away and just refill your cup and spend time with loved ones, and we are excited to be back in your listening ears again for season three next year.

Nicky: 20:42

Oh, who can believe we're here? Have a beautiful holiday, everybody, and see you next year. Okay, bye.

Ness: 20:49

Thanks for listening to today's ep. If you loved what you heard, connect with us over on LinkedIn and let's continue the conversation over there. Did you hear? You can now buy our book Healthy Hustle the new blueprint to thrive in business and life at healthyhustlecomau. Want us to speak to your team or run a workshop on healthy hustle in your workplace? Send us an email, or go old school and give us a call to discuss. Until next time, happy listening and here's to thriving in business and life in your workplace. Send us an email or go old school and give us a call to discuss. Until next time, happy listening and here's to thriving in business and life.