I hope you are shutting down your business over this holiday weekend to head out of town or enjoy a staycation exploring your local community.  On the other hand, you may just want to settle back and put your feet up, considering all the hours you are putting in. A survey of 258 U.S. small businesses just out from Sage North America, SMB accounting and business management software solutions provider, says that compared to five years ago, 42 percent of you are working more hours per week and 40 percent are taking less vacation time.

Your use of mobile technology is increasing

To help you manage your business, the majority of you rely on mobile technology — 78 percent access work-related information when you are out of the office, according to the Sage survey.  Furthermore, mobile technology is making your business more productive, say 84 percent of you who depend on it. Laptops and notebooks are your number one mobile device at 89 percent, closely followed by smartphones at 84 percent; tablet use is at 38 percent (also see: “SMB market for tablets keeps growing.”)

Why you need to chill out

In case you are still feeling that it’s going to be hard to take a break; here are several reasons why you should this weekend or soon:

  • Get a fresh perspective:  Take time to look at the big picture – changing market requirements or new customer needs — which is difficult to do when you mired in the everyday details of running your business.
  • Let others take on more:  Watch how your team grows when you take things off your plate and pass them onto others. You’ll benefit from having less pressure and your team will benefit from taking on new responsibilities and expanding their opportunities.
  • Find out what isn’t working:  Sometimes getting away is a good way to find out what is working and what isn’t.  You’ll discover what processes or systems needs to be fixed or adjusted.
  • It’s important for your health:  Your body needs to relax and recharge. Breaks also enable your mind to reset and refocus to produce high quality work.

So for the next few days, try to disconnect from your mobile devices.  If you absolutely feel you need to connect to one, then put on your headset and tune into some music.