Boost Your Business, Take a Break From the Office

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9 Dec. 2018. The office is one of those things that can feel like is on our side, but which, from time to time, actually holds us back. While there’s a lot to be said for getting into the rhythm of making the commute, settling into the office, and getting down to work for a set number of hours, it’s not all good. Indeed, it’s recommended that we get out of the office and mix up the routine every now and again.

If you’re the boss, then what’s stopping you? You get to decide where you’ll work. By packing up and getting a change of scene, you’ll be able to get a unique perspective on your business, and influx your mind with new ideas. Below, we take a look at how you can temporarily wave goodbye to your everyday office space and try something new.

Where will you go?

Now that you’ve decided to get out of the office, where are you going to go? The world’s smaller than ever before, which means all corners of the globe are open. The only prerequisite is that they have an internet connection! As a starting point, ask yourself two questions. Do you want to stay within the country, or board a plane and go somewhere else?

There are advantages to both. It’s easier to meet other people when you stay within your own country, but heading overseas can waken up the brain cells in a way that familiar (ish) surroundings can’t. Aside from the country, ask yourself if you want to be in the city or nature. Both have that advantages and drawbacks; it’s about whatever you feel most drawn to.

When to take a break

It’s relatively easy to pack up and work elsewhere for a while. But there’ll be times when it’s not a good idea. As well as figuring out where you want to go, you’ll also need to take a look at when you want to go. Take a look at your reports from the past few years, and figure out when is your “low period.” You obviously shouldn’t take off on a working vacation when you and your staff are swamped with work! Go when you know it’s going to be quiet. It’ll make everything much more straightforward, and you’ll have to deal with fewer phone calls from stressed staff members.

Working on a project

It doesn’t make much sense to take yourself off somewhere new and just work on the same old, same old. For starters, it’s a bit of a waste of a trip. You don’t need to think creatively or get a new perspective if you’re just filling out forms you’ve filled out a thousand times before. No, it’s better to get to work on a new project while you’re away. You’ll want to dedicate your time and energy to push your company forward in some way; it’s those types of things when perspective and creativity are most valued. So take a look at your list of “projects to get around to” list, pick one or two, and make developing them the focus of your trip.

The essentials

You’re going to need some work supplies with you. Luckily, in the digital age, this is no problem at all. Wherever you are, you can have access to all the same software and documents, just as if you were in the office. But you will need to set these up. You can visit Netstride.com today, and get web-based software applications which will allow you to access, via the internet, the same software you use in the office. You’ll also want to have all your documents in the cloud, so you pull up those spreadsheets when you’re in the planning stages of your new project. And of course, it goes without saying that a trusty laptop and solid internet connection are a must, too.

Staying in touch

There might be a time when you want to go completely off-grid and spend a week disconnected from it all, but it’s more likely that’ll just a want a brief change of scene, not be cut-off entirely. In any case, your staff will have lost their commander in chief, so it’s probably a good idea for their sake as well as yours that you check in. Make a habit of calling in the mornings and afternoons to make sure everything’s running smoothly, and make sure they know that they can always call you if they need anything.

Down time

While you’ll want to get into work while you’re away, don’t forget that you’ve got a golden opportunity to have some fun, too! There’s no point in visiting a new space and only working. Give yourself time to enjoy your new surroundings. It’ll help you fall into that relaxed state of mind which will help you return to work refreshed and ready to go. This is all about breaking up the routine, remember, and that means all of your routine, including how you’re spending your mornings and evenings.

Meeting new people

No-one builds a successful business all on their own. They also involve other people. By leaving the office and heading elsewhere, you’ll have a chance to speak to people from a different background to your own. Make the most of this opportunity! Many of us live in a bubble, an echo-chamber. Listening to different opinions and observing other ways of being can get our creative processes going. Make the most of it!

Final thoughts

Setting up camp somewhere new on a short-term basis is one of those things that people typically don’t think about doing, but which they should. There are a lot of benefits to it, and the exciting thing is, you don’t really know what they’re going to be until you’ve done it. You might just stumble upon an idea that takes your company to the next level. So break out of the routine, go big, and see what comes of it. If nothing else, it might just make you feel refreshed and more focused.

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