I hadn't pulled an all-nighter since college. But there I was, burning the midnight oil, nearly two decades into being a business owner. My company had a design issue and the solution kept evading us. I was becoming overtired and demoralized. Still, we couldn't give up. "Relent" is not in the entrepreneurial vocabulary.
Then I remembered something a mentor once told me: When two things push against each other and neither gives way, sometimes you need to take a step back. When you pause, the tension subsides and then you can move forward. Maybe it was the exhaustion speaking, but I decided that this was the right strategy. We all took a breather.
The next day, I went to the gym and spent the afternoon at the park with my kids. That night, my wife and I cooked a new recipe. I returned to the office with a rested mind and a fresh outlook. We managed to rise above the trees and see the whole forest. We finally found our solution.
When it comes to rebooting your energy, rest is one side of the coin. Engaging in hobbies is the other. I'm a firm believer in the power of creative outlets and regularly communicate to our employees that they should carve out time for them. When hiring, I'm always looking for candidates with rich lives outside of their work. Here's why having hobbies is so important.