40% of Small Business Owners Haven't Had a Week Off in a Year or More. Here's Why That's a Problem

Talk about a troubling statistic.

When you run a small business, there's a lot you need to handle on a perpetual basis. And while you can do your best to outsource certain tasks, ultimately, you're the one responsible for keeping things running smoothly.

As such, you might struggle to find opportunities to take time away from your job. And if so, you're in good company. 

A recent survey by FreshBooks found that 40% of small and medium-sized business owners have not taken a break from work in more than a year. But that's a dangerous pattern to uphold.

You don't want to burn out

Work-related burnout isn't a medical condition per se. But it can lead to a host of health issues. 

Generally speaking, when you reach the point of burnout, you might find it hard to concentrate on the things you're doing. You might feel like your energy is perpetually zapped. And you might feel like you're dragging yourself through the day, every day, and counting down the minutes until it's over.

A bad case of burnout could cause you to lose sleep and take on more stress. And that could result in physical symptoms. 

That's why it's so important to keep job-related burnout at bay. And a good way to do that is to give yourself a physical and mental break from work. 

You may be thinking, "Well, that's easier said than done." And to be clear, this isn't to suggest that you should simply up and take a two-week vacation tomorrow without giving your team any sort of advance notice. 

But should you plan some time away from work? Absolutely. 

If money is tight, you don't even have to go on vacation. Stay home for a week and explore your city. Indulge in bad but entertaining TV, read some interesting books, and catch up on sleep if you've been struggling to get enough of it. 

You may be surprised at how helpful some time away from the job can be. And it's important to take that time, because if you don't, your work might suffer -- and the business you've worked so hard to build might start to struggle.

Make time off a regular thing

Taking time off as a small business owner isn't something you should do once a year. Rather, make sure you're giving yourself some opportunities to separate yourself from your business and focus on your needs and those of your family. 

In fact, a good bet may be to schedule a mental health day or two every couple of months. That will give you something to look forward to and help ensure you don't overdo it.

Being a small business owner isn't easy, and there's certainly a lot of pressure to have your hand in every aspect of your venture. But if that translates into a serious lack of time off, then it's a problem. So don't push yourself to that point. Instead, make time off a regular thing -- and encourage your employees to do the same. Just as you don't want to fall victim to burnout, so too should you do what you can to help your employees avoid a similar fate.