The power of pausing: how rest fuels your entrepreneurship
June 2025 - Every entrepreneur knows it: periods when things are not flowing. Your head is full, your to-do list is bulging, but your inspiration is lost. Instead of pushing on and exhausting yourself further, sometimes it is just smarter to deliberately hit the pause button. Entrepreneurship needs rest - and so do you.
1. Recognise the signs of creative fatigue
You are more easily irritable, procrastinate or feel like you are always ‘on’. Your work feels like a drag, and ideas that used to energise you now leave you cold. This is not laziness, but mental overload.
2. Let go for a while without guilt
Many entrepreneurs have the idea that standing still is going backwards. But temporary distance often just gives room for new insights. A walk, a day without screens, even a short weekend away can do wonders.
3. Alternate focus with relaxation
Being productive does not mean sitting at your desk for 10 hours at a stretch. Plan blocks of concentrated work (e.g. 90 minutes) and then take a real break. No checking emails, but exercise, listen to music, or just do nothing for a while.
4. Change your environment
You don't have to go on a retreat in Tuscany to unwind. Just working from a coffee shop, coworking spot or your own garden can give you a fresh perspective. New stimuli = new ideas.
5. Talk to other entrepreneurs
Sometimes inspiration is just a conversation away. Hearing how others deal with obstacles will get you motivated again. Seek contact through an entrepreneurial network, an inspiration session or even an informal chat with a fellow business owner.
6. Do something completely different
Creativity feeds on variety. Do something that has nothing to do with your business: cooking, drawing, sports, gardening... Often, the idea you were looking for comes exactly when you are not looking for it.
You are not lazy when you are resting - you are recharging. Entrepreneurship is a marathon, not a sprint. Taking a break on time not only keeps you more creative and sharp, it also makes you a happier entrepreneur. So press that pause button every now and then without guilt. Your business will thank you for it.
