These jci members realize that all work and no play can actually hurt a business. Here’s how they choose to relax and re-energize.

By James Park

Even if you love running a business, there’s a reason work is called, well, work. The daily grind may be important, but it can be just as important to take some time off and just, well, chill. 

Andreas Kopf always makes sure he takes the time to get away from the rat race. Kopf, 35, a manager at Debolon Dessauer Bodenbelaege GmbH & Co. KG, a floor coverings and stair systems manufacturer in Dessau, Germany, likes to take one or two weeks off in the summer and again in the winter. “In the wintertime, it’s downhill skiing in the Alps or cross-county skiing in the Erzgebirge,” Kopf says. “In the summertime, I go hiking in the mountains, mountain biking or windsurfing.”

Aaron Rekman, managing director of Azztek Kitchens Pty. Ltd., a kitchen furnishing company in Mandurah, Australia, fondly remembers his honeymoon tour of China. “We landed in Shanghai and then went west along the Yangzte River for about four days,” says Rekman, 29. “We moored at the city of Chongqing and then flew to Xian to check out the terra-cotta warriors.”

However you decide to chill, remember that time off from work should be exactly that. “Vacations are obviously great stress reducers, but they’re not the ultimate solution,” says Jerry Kiffer, a psychologist at the Cleveland Clinic Foundation. “The average person comes back from vacation tired because they tried to do too much in too short a period of time, so you need to make sure that those getaway vacations are also restorative.”

Cengiz Korkmaz agrees. A managing partner at Dekon Congress & Tourism—an Istanbul, Turkey-based consulting firm that sets up conferences, meetings and summits—Korkmaz likes to recount his trip to the Maldives in December 2003. “I could feel and listen to myself. I didn’t have any duties or obligations. I would just wake up, swim, lie under the sun, eat and chat,” says Korkmaz, 30.

Gustavo La Rotta, an owner of Ras K. Bar, a nightclub, and La Rotta & Rincon Construcciones e Inversiones, a construction company in Cucuta, Colombia, doesn’t have to travel far to find his inner peace. “I like to go to a small town in my state of North Santander named Chinacota to rest, enjoy its climate, have breakfast, drink a beer and enjoy its natural setting,” says La Rotta, 28. 

Meanwhile, Korkmaz has a few rules in place when he goes on vacation. “I like to go to silent places where I can enjoy nature and myself,” he says, “especially where I don’t have to use my mobile phone.”

Sweat Equity
Some well-deserved rest and relaxation may have never hurt anybody, but there’s nothing like working up a sweat to burn off excess energy.

“Regular aerobic exercise improves mental health and stimulates the brain,” Kiffer says. “And it’s a natural antidepressant.”

Kopf plays volleyball every Friday, saying the exercise helps him build self-confidence. “The exercise feels great,” he says.

For Jose Deras, playing racquetball not only keeps him in shape but keeps him in contact with society as well. “Actually, every day I find myself playing with someone I haven’t met before. It’s very interesting,” says Deras, general manager and president of Xpression Publicidad, a large format printing and billboard company in Cortes, Honduras. Though he plays almost every night, Deras, 26, jokes, “I don’t think I’m a professional. But at least I can give a hard workout to whomever I play against.” 

For Jared Lorenz, a self-employed video producer, director and writer at The Terminal, a video production company in Toronto, taking at least a half-hour each day to go on a walk helps him keep his head on straight. “Walking is a meditative activity,” says Lorenz, 28. “It gets me away from everything related to work for a little while, which is important when you work for yourself, where there is always more to do.”

Take it Easy
But avoiding stress isn’t just about feeling the burn or getting away. It’s also about taking a step back to find the reason behind all those 60-hour workweeks and endless meetings. 

Ronnie Llontop, 25, a marketing and system director with Multieventos, a business training company in Piura, Peru, finds his reason in Chiclayo. 

“Chiclayo is my favorite city, because I have all my family [there],” Llontop says. “And it is very nice to see my family.”

Lorenz finds writing helps to keep him in touch with his creative side. “It clears the garbage from my head and stores things on paper that are sometimes a source of inspiration later on,” Lorenz says. “Writing is a creative safe space, where I can be boldly creative without worrying about the usefulness of what I’m saying.”

Everybody has different ways of chilling out, but we all do it for the same reason. So whether you’re dealing with customers, deadlines, sales or employees, remember to take some time to look out for number one.

James Park is a writer for Entrepreneur magazine.