In a 2009 International Vacation Deprivation Survey from expedia.com:
One in three employees do not use their allotted vacation days each year, even though they said they are more productive after returning from vacation.
In the sometimes grueling world of sales, the negative impact of not taking vacations could be even greater.
Sales professionals are becoming less and less productive as they push on without vacations. They often feel compelled to keep working without vacations, to be available for every client call, and for every lead that may come their way. They don’t want to miss a beat. They end up “over working” and hurting their progress.
Here are 5 reasons why sales professionals should take all of their vacations days each year:
Avoid Burnout: We all need a break. Think about how refreshed and motivated you felt after your last vacation. If you keep going full force without a break, where are the rewards for all your hard work? Once you reach the burnout stage, you will often feel out of control and even less likely to take a vacation. Sales results will suffer and motivation will be lacking.
Reduce Stress: We all know stress can literally be a killer and no one is immune to stress. However, vacation can be one of the great ways to reduce stress and rejuvenate your energy and spirit. The bad stress won’t stop building until you give yourself some time to recover.
Increase Quality of Life & Work: We remember experiences more than anything. Science has even shown that material objects do not provide the lasting joy or happiness that positive experiences can create. Vacations are often all about experience and help to increase the quality of life. When a person experiences a greater quality of life, it is often the case that their quality of work will improve as well.
Creativity Boost: When we are constantly living on a schedule going from one task to another, it is hard to have the space and freedom to be creative. Think about when some of your best ideas came to you? Most likely, you were not at work. You were probably not even thinking about work at all, and were in a relaxed state. Those are the moments that creative genius can strike. But, it can’t strike if you are always on the go!
Productivity Spike: Think about what happens on a Friday when you have planned to leave early or take a half day. Ever notice how you get so much done in less than 8 hours? Funny how that works, but tighter deadlines and looking forward to something can sure help you get more done faster. Use the vacation as something to get excited about and to work very hard up until your last day at the office. This will increase your productivity prior to the vacation. And, after relaxing for a week, when you come back, you will be energized, stress free, and ready to make a huge impact.
Don’t wait any longer. Plan and book your next vacation now!
About The Author:
Sales Coaching Expert, Jeremy Ulmer, has helped hundreds of sales professionals, sales leaders, and business owners just like you overcome sales challenges to increase productivity and win more clients faster.
For 100’s of unbeatable, sure-fire ways to increasing your sales results, subscribe for your free sales tips or request a free sales coaching consultation at: http://www.SalesCoachingHabits.com
One reply on “Sales Coaching Tips: 5 Reasons Why Sales Professionals Need A Vacation”
Great post. It’s so true about the vacation. When you really consider that sales is a numbers game it can be daunting to think about how many people a good salesman will talk to in a day. I think that sales matches any construction job as it relates to taxing a person.