Summer’s calling – can you hear it? Probably not, if you’re on the phone or clicking through your inbox. Everyone needs to take holidays to hit “refresh” on their work lives and relax, but that comes harder for some of us than others – and those of us in sales are ‘way up on that list.
Here are three simple strategies you can use to end the tyranny of tech in your life and take back your holidays:
1. Go cold turkey on technology.
I realize even the thought of that may make your hands sweat, but it can be done and I’m living proof. The first week of January, I went on holiday with my daughters, leaving my laptop and cell phone at home. Yes, it was brutal, and while I wasn’t literally climbing the walls, I couldn’t stop the reflexive reaching for the phone that wasn’t there. But a funny thing happened after a few days; I actually started to enjoy myself. Without the endless barrage of texts and emails to answer, I had the luxury of time – time to talk to my girls, to enjoy long walks and family meals, and to unwind. I slept better; I listened better; I laughed more. And when it was time to go home, I was genuinely refreshed and excited to tackle the work that was waiting for me.
Pro tip: So I wouldn’t feel overwhelmed the first day back in the office, I downloaded my emails before I headed to the airport, and used the flight time to review them so I’d be caught up for Monday morning.
How are you enjoying your holidays this year? Turn off your technology to turn on your relaxation mode. Share on X
2. Set boundaries – and stick to them.
If you really can’t turn off your technology and feel compelled to stay connected to the office and your customers, set yourself some boundaries, and stick to them. Give yourself permission to check and respond to messages for one hour every morning, then shut that phone or laptop in a drawer, and leave it there. This lets you take care of any urgent situations and keep your inbox cleaned up; more importantly, it gives you permission to relax and enjoy the other twenty-three hours of your day. Watch the clock and don’t be tempted to cheat on that time limit, because it’s too easy to get sucked into the vortex. My daughter Alexa jokes that my last words will be “Just one more email to send!” That’s uncomfortably close to the truth.
3. Drop the reins and delegate.
We all see ourselves as indispensable and worry that our companies will go off the rails if we’re not there to run them. Don’t fret – delegate! Your team knows you well; they’ve seen how you look after your business and your customers. Give them a chance to take on your work in your absence. Let them deal with your day-to-day responsibilities and your work-related emails. Not only is this empowering for your team, it gives you and them the opportunity to ensure all your processes are strong or reveals where they need improvement – and gives you the insights you need to start building a succession plan. Make sure everyone knows what you expect of them and how to do it, then let them run with it.
Holidays are your opportunity to refill your tank, reconnect with your loved ones, and to remember what it is that you’re working for in the first place. Don’t cheat yourself or your family by packing your job up and taking it with you, or you’ll be running on empty when you get back. Turn it off, so you can turn it on for a great fall selling season!
Got tips on how to get the most out of your holidays? I’d love to hear them!
Thought Provoking Question: How will you turn it off this summer, so you can turn it on for a great fall selling season?
Teneo’s Challenge: The summer months aren’t long enough, so choose one of our simple strategies to use on your next vacation to end the tyranny of tech in your life and take back your holidays! Let us know how it goes!
Lisa is driven by the mantra – Be Strategic. Be Pro-active. Be Brave. – and has been successfully training and coaching sales leaders and their teams to do the same for over 15 years. As the President of Teneo Results since 2003, she has trained thousands of sales professionals at more than 250 companies across North America. She transitions salespeople away from the standard “product & price” approach to having purposeful business conversations with their customers that drive results.