Doctor’s Orders – I’ll Be Outside

It’s been two months since I started this email newsletter. I really appreciate the feedback, comments and questions I’ve received from so many of you.

Now don’t panic!

I’m going to be on hiatus for the next three weeks. I’ll be back to my regular posting schedule right after Labor Day.

I’ll be using some of this time to set up some new publishing tools and processes to make the delivery and promotion of this newsletter easier. I’ve learned a lot over the past couple of months, and as with any startup endeavor, improvements must be made along the way.

But more importantly, I’m going to get in some outside time with the family before the craziness of school, work and the sprint to the holidays kicks off.

For me and my family, that means as much time outdoors as possible. Hiking, camping, biking and boating. There is nothing else like it that recharges the batteries.

And now, there is a growing body of science to back this up. A recent Outside Magazine podcast covered the topic of a growing trend of doctor’s actually prescribing time outdoors.

In recent years, a grassroots movement of physicians have begun prescribing time outdoors as the best possible treatment for a growing list of ailments, from anxiety and obesity to attention-deficit disorder and high blood pressure. 

Being a founder or executive in a startup is a life of constant mental stress. Trying to grow your company as the competitive landscape shifts, tactics fail and assumptions are proven wrong. All under the watchful eye of nervous employees and increasingly skeptical investors.

There are a few perfect times of the year when it’s easiest to disappear for a week or two, take a mental health break, and come back ready for the next big push. The last two weeks of August is a time when enough people disappear to savor the last moments of summer to allow you to do the same.

Take advantage of this brief respite before Labor Day weekend comes and goes. Step away from your business. Lay on the grass and stare up at the sky. Exhaust yourself physically instead of mentally. Spend time with family that’s put up with your intense focus on your company for the past year.

With that break will come fresh perspective, renewed energy, and overall better mental health. It’s time well spent. It’s an investment in yourself and your company.

See you in September, fully recharged and ready for the next sprint!