“And in the morning, rising up a great while before day, he went out, and departed into a solitary place . . .  -- Mark 1:35

When you consider all of the tasks to be done and decisions to be made involved in successfully leading an organization or a business, it is nearly impossible to avoid being swamped –- at least occasionally. Working with tighter budgets, smaller staffs and increased work loads can sometimes overwhelm even the best among us. In these circumstances, it is important to have a plan in place to prevent burn-out; I call mine the three “Rs” --Retreat, Regroup and Restart.

Retreat
This word has several meanings which can all be relevant to a business environment. Retreat may refer to time taken to reflect or meditate; a withdrawal of forces; a place of refuge. They each have in common the notion of safety or temporarily removing oneself from one's usual environment. A retreat can be taken for reasons related to spirituality, stress, health, lifestyle, social or ecological concerns. Increasingly, organizations hold retreats to focus board and staff members on key issues such as strategic planning, enhancing communication and collaboration, problem-solving or creative thinking.

Make a personal retreat a routine practice. Consider scheduling a block of time, 3-4 hours at least, each week to take a respite from the hustle and flow of your schedule to give some undivided attention to a significant concern or critical task. Use the time to brainstorm; to assess; to plan. An alternative is to set aside one day each month for your team to focus on internal tasks without the distraction of meetings or deadlines.

Regroup
Regroup is another word rich with multiple meanings. It can mean to restore to form; to build up your strength; to regain or recapture. After a particularly busy period or a setback, it may be wiser to take some time to regroup, rather than to bulldoze your way through. This allows you to reflect upon your actions, analyze the pros and cons of a situation, and marshal your forces before rejoining the fray. It is a well-considered pause in the action. For sports fans, it is very much like a time-out.

Restart
This can be the most difficult. It can be hard to begin again – which is the literal meaning of restart. Look upon a restart as a second chance. You have an opportunity to bring more experience, more know-how, and perhaps even more resources to whatever challenges you face. Resilience is the ability to get up and get going – one more time; the ability to restart is the one sure sign of a winner.