Navigating this challenging market – as well as kicking off the holiday season – might make it seem like planning a holiday break is the last thing you ought to be thinking about.
But that break turns out to be one of the most important things you can do to stay sharp, fresh, and focused on what you’ll face in 2026.
We Are Not Machines
The old restaurateur trope about working harder and harder to produce results turns out to be as applicable today as looking up a number in a phone book or watching a movie on VHS.
So, as you dive into receiving more than your fair share of the Q4 business and social spend – and plan to increase your 2026 guest count, revenue, and profit – you’re taking an enormous risk if you forget the value of a break for you and your key people.
Your business may dictate that you cannot take your break until after the holidays. Certainly, that applies to your operators.
So, whether you schedule it to happen either during or after the holidays, schedule it now before you can’t find a slot on your calendar for whatever time you need for a rest, recharge, and rejuvenation.
The Most Successful People Take Breaks
Next year you’ll have to operate at your peak – incorporating a mix of new ideas along with the things that have worked for you in the past – to make sure you’re one of the groups that succeeds.
And if you’re still hesitant to schedule a break, just remember this: 2026 won’t be easier than 2025!
My clients who accomplish great things have a balance between work and downtime.
The most successful groups I worked with this year – who have created exciting, market-leading, high-single-digit revenue increases in a flat market, up 6-8% – have owners who do not work all the time.
How are they able to do this? Because the strategy, tactics, and execution we implement at their businesses, not longer workdays, creates those results.
I feel proud to be able to help them build their companies so activity relies on others and ownership works at their highest point of use. When they want to get away, they leave.
I’m pleased that I spend more time convincing hard-working people to take a break than urging people to work more in order to increase results.
Beyond the demands of your work that call out for a vacation, there is also your commitment to your family. You may be a parent, something else that never stops, or – at a different time of life – a son or daughter taking care of a parent.
A lot is going to be asked of you next year in both your business and your family. How will you schedule a holiday or post-holiday break to ensure you prepare for the challenge?
