Clarity Breaks: What are they and why they are essential to business growth
We all know this world of entrepreneurship and small business ownership is fast-paced. Finding time to hold space for clarity and introspection can be challenging, if not impossible when you are juggling your business, family, and household obligations. However, one effective method that has gained popularity is the Clarity Break. In this blog post, we'll explore what a Clarity Break is, its benefits for entrepreneurs and small business owners, and how it can lead to personal and professional growth. I will share with you my own experience with a recent Clarity Break and the valuable lessons by giving myself the opportunity to step away from life for a few days.
What Is A Clarity Break?
A Clarity Break is a period of time where I take a step away from my everyday life, both client-facing business and personal to refocus myself and gain clarity on my life and my business. By changing your physical location to a new and beautiful scenery that is inspiring to you, you will have the opportunity to decompress and gain some perspective.
My favorite part of Clarity Breaks is that you never have to explain to anyone what you’re doing on them because it is for you. It is a way for you to reset and reenergize in a way that you need without any judgment! So if that includes binging Netflix and eating Oreos (that was definitely day 1 for me!) then you do you and embrace it! That is what your mind and body need to kick off a decompression.
Some other ideas during a Clarity Break are to meditate, exercise, go for long walks, listen to some of those podcasts or audiobooks that have been on the “shelf” and focus on strategic developments within your own business.
Why Clarity Breaks Can Be Difficult?
Let’s call it what it is….Balancing family obligations, household obligations, client obligations - it can be so difficult to step away from It is hard to see how you could step away for a day, let alone 3, to allow time to focus just on yourself. However, IT IS POSSIBLE!
Secondarily, it can be really hard to sit with yourself. A lot of us are so used to having so many people around, our phones going off non-stop, always someone to talk to, that we actually don’t feel comfortable sitting with ourselves and our thoughts.
THIS IS ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT PARTS OF YOUR CLARITY BREAK!
YOU are the brains and genius behind your business. YOU are the one that will be able to bring your business to the next level of growth. YOU are the one that controls where you are taking your business.
If YOU don’t give yourself time to get clear from the chaos, your business, and your team won’t be clear either.
With the right Strategies and Planning in place, you have the opportunity to set the right expectations with your Clients, your Partner, your Kids, and even Yourself on why taking a Clarity Break is a requirement to being a Business Owner.
I’ve always said: Chaos in front of your eyes leads to chaos in your brain. Chaos in your brain leads to chaos in your business.
If your business is in a state of chaos, your team and your processes cannot help you reach the next level of business growth that you are longing for. Every day will feel like you are in a hamster wheel and you are never fully getting ahead of any one process or having time to focus yourself on business growth strategies.
Lessons Learned From My Clarity Break
As I’m looking back on my Clarity Break, here are some of the big lessons I learned during my time away:
Lesson 1: Setting and Communicating Boundaries: Even though I “had boundaries”, I wasn’t communicating them properly to my clients. Even worse, I wasn’t holding true to my boundaries, so even though I had set them, no one actually believed they were true (including myself)
Lesson 2: Continuous Education and Development: This is so important to me that I can always come to my clients and act within my own business with the best and most efficient recommendations on how to grow.
Lesson 3: Realigning Business Focus: Quieting my brain and my surroundings gave me an opportunity to focus on how I can best serve my clients in a way that lights me up and gives them the most benefit to their business growth.
How To Schedule A Clarity Break
Clarity Breaks are one of the most important things you can do for yourself and your business. This should be something that you are scheduling quarterly to allow yourself the opportunity to focus on your next quarter’s goals and direction.
Here are my tips on how to schedule your own Clarity Break:
Look at your calendar for a time that is 6-8 weeks from now so you have time to plan Focus on days/times that you already have a few meetings or family obligations. (For example, I took my Clarity Break from a Monday to a Wednesday).
Find a location that is close by, within 1-2 hours of driving or by train so you don’t feel pressure spending a lot of time traveling
Book a Hotel or Apartment that gives you the opportunity for some outdoor space, like a balcony and a nice view.
Cancel or reschedule all meetings on your calendar for the days you pick
Organize with your partner on childcare for the 2-3 days needed
Start pinning a few ideas of what you might want to focus your attention on for your business during your break
DO NOT MAKE YOURSELF A LIST OF TASKS! I get it, I am a task queen….but the most important thing is that you do not feel like this is an obligation!
Don’t rush to show up at your hotel so you can “get to work”. Check-in, settle in, turn your phone on Do Not Disturb, and take 5-10 deep breaths to allow your brain and your mind to start to get calm.
By the end of your Clarity Break, you will already have ideas on what strategies you want to do to grow your business and how your team can help you get there!
Remember, there is power in finding clarity in the chaos of life. You are the leader of this business and you are the leader of your destiny. Just like sending your invoices and showing up for your Client meetings, Clarity Breaks are essential to your business growth and need to be part of your recurring business activities. The opportunity to prioritize yourself, self-reflection, and personal and business growth is what will make you the CEO of your business that I know you already are.
If you are struggling to see yourself in this plan, book a call with me here and we can work through a way to get your Clarity Break on your calendar!
