R-E-L-A-X

June 19, 2012  by in UnCategorized   

By Home Furnishings Business in on June 2012

According to my dad, I was an expert in the study of relaxation at a very early age. However, in today€™s business world, it seems I rarely have time to regress to those days. Our world allows us to stay in touch like never before. Don€™t get me wrong, I love being mobile€”give me an Internet connection, a smartphone and I€™m open for business, but when is it enough?

Hey, we all have seen it€”the father-and-child breakfast on Saturday morning with the child sitting at the restaurant table quietly. All he or she wants is attention and a fun time, but dad has his head stuck in a smartphone. It€™s sad and I hate it; I€™ve even talked to this child in the restaurant hoping dad might pick up on my lead.

Sometimes I have been successful and other times, I believe I could pick up the child and walk out. I€™m sure dad would notice, but only after he completes his e-mail.
We€™ve all been guilty of something similar; giving half our attention to a spouse, friend or maybe even the family pet because we have a tough time defining when work ends and the time to put it all aside and relax. How many times have you planned an evening out, only to get caught up with a €œquick€ task from work after hours?
Finding balance between work and quality family life becomes extremely difficult in our high-tech society, but it is necessary and we all must find ways to get away from the daily grind and relax. Relaxation is one key to maintaining a healthy life, yet we seem to miss the boat on this one.
I€™m lucky to work from a home office. My office attire, for the most part, is shorts and a T-shirt. I can spin around in my office chair and take in the most breathtaking view of the Roanoke Valley. Many times when talking with retailers and working with our manufacturing partners, I do it from the comforts of my deck. I have to say, it doesn€™t suck. I guess I€™m a lucky one. My surroundings and the slower pace of living in Roanoke, Va., allow me to be in a more relaxed state of mind.

+Don€™t think for a minute that means I don€™t work hard. Anyone that knows me, or has seen me at a furniture Market, knows I run hard and try to touch as many people as possible. I€™m always on the hunt to find ways to improve Home Furnishings Business for our audience. While I enjoy this very much, it€™s not mentioned in the definition of relax.

So, what do I do to relax and shut it down? I enjoy sitting on my deck and taking in the mountain breeze and my view of the valley. Put a cold one in my hand, and I believe it€™s about as close to heaven as you can get on this side of the soil.

We€™ve asked the same question of some of our retail friends. In the pages that follow we cover the important role that relaxation plays in making us all better and more productive people. Take a look at what your colleagues do to slow down the daily pace and enjoy the fruits of success. Maybe you will learn a lesson about how to slow your roll.