I’ll admit it – I have a really tough time going on vacation. It’s not just the physical aspect of getting away that is the hardest for me necessarily. Sometimes, it’s that mental break that is the hardest to achieve.

I have a somewhat flexible job. Being a photographer allows me to basically set my own schedule. It doesn’t always work that way, but in all honesty, I have the ability to say no and block off a week or long weekend for my personal use. It CAN happen.

I just have to force myself to do it.

It’s not that I don’t want to hang out on a beach, reading a book beside my husband, as our children build elaborate sand castles in front of us. That sounds amazing. It’s just hard to say that it’s OK to not work for a week and it’s OK to spend money on something fun.

Northern Virginia is expensive.

It’s also hard to actually stop thinking about work… or doing work. Or thinking about doing work.

Want to know when I came up with this blog topic?

Over spring break… in Myrtle Beach.

It is so hard to shut down my brain when it comes to work! I am so passionate about my business that it can be all-consuming… and that, my friends, is a bad thing. When you are a small business owner, you HAVE to figure out how to separate yourself from your work.

Even when I leave the studio, I tend to pick up a book on marketing or something else business-related. That isn’t giving me time off from work! Even though I love to read those types of books, my mind is going a million miles a minute when I read them, thinking of all the ways I can incorporate the authors’ advice into my own business.

I have learned that I have to hit “pause” on my brain every once in a while. I can’t tell you how it happens… my brain just finally gives in eventually. I plan the vacation, spend the whole way to our destination thinking about work, and then somewhere between arriving there and leaving, my mind just magically…rests. It might be the waves. It might be the extra time with my kids. Who knows! All I know is that if I can take a break, then there is hope for everyone.

When I get home from a vacation, I always have a renewed sense of my priorities. It’s like vacations allow us to hit the “reset” buttons on our professional and personal lives. With priorities in line, my motivation to work is renewed. And even though I’m not actively trying to think about work, I always come across some great ideas or concepts while I’m away.

Breaks are important. Even though vacations can be stressful in themselves, there’s just something about taking a hiatus from your normal routine that is reenergizing. If you can’t imagine walking away from the chaos for a week, start with a long weekend. Every little bit helps. Go somewhere you love, or, even better – somewhere you’ve never been.

If you’re anything like me, your brain will eventually realize that it needs that rest – that silence. It needs time to take in new things at a slower pace. It’s hard to remember that the rest of the world doesn’t operate at lightning-fast Northern Virginia speed, sometimes.

Making the time to reset and refresh yourself is worth it. Your family needs it and you need it – even if you think you don’t.

Believe me, vacationing with 3 little kids isn’t the most relaxing thing in the world. If I can still find tranquility amongst the diapers and the screaming, I have faith that you can find a way to unwind, too.

Alimond Photography Studio specializes in creating strategic corporate headshot portraits for not only the individual small business entrepreneur, but also the Fortune 500 Company.  Alimond Photography Studio is located in downtown Leesburg, Virginia, where they will create the perfect look for you in their 1300 square foot photo studio.  If you have a large team or you have a specific vision you want to create, we can also come out to you on location of your choice.  Please go HERE to get more info and set up your session.