Don’t Let Summer Slip Away
Perhaps you started your roofing company or pest control service (or any other business) because you wanted to call your own shots. Maybe you entered the family construction operation when you were a kid and now, years later, you’re in charge. You built the business one job at a time, climbed thousands of ladders, paid the bills, and washed the trucks. Having no time for yourself has become a way of life. But is it the best way for you, your family, or the company? Maybe not.
Evidence shows that vacation time delivers multi-level benefits that go way beyond resting tired leg muscles or soothing aching backs. Running any business can be stressful, particularly in industries such as roofing that are inherently dangerous. High levels of stress hormones over long periods can increase the risk of high blood pressure and heart disease or make existing health conditions worse. Time off the roof or off the truck gives your body a chance to get back on track with an increase in hormones that promote wellness. Time off can also rejuvenate your capacity to learn new techniques and solve problems creatively. We all know people who say they get their best ideas in the shower.
What goes for the boss goes for the workers as well. Make sure your workers take time off; even a little can go a long way towards breaking the work/stress/anxiety cycle. Rested, alert workers are likely to be safer and more careful as well in their work habits. Crews that know time off is encouraged and provided for are more productive in the long run. Vacation time is a proven incentive to stay with a company longer.
Stop dreaming about that trip to the beach or the mountains and mark a date in your calendar. Your body and mind (and family) will thank you for it.
