If you’re a small-business owner, the idea of carving out more time for what you love might sound like a pipe dream. But have you heard of the idea of ‘bleisure’? It’s the concept of blending business and leisure – and I’ve been living it for the last 15 years.
I’m not the only one living the bleisure life – bleisure travel has been on the rise in recent years, particularly among Australians.
You won’t be surprised to hear that living a life of bleisure has thoroughly enhanced my wellbeing. But you might be taken aback when I say that it has increased my productivity, too.
Sound too good to be true? Of course it does. But as someone who has been incorporating the concept of ‘bleisure’ into my life for this long, I’m here to bust some of the common bleisure myths.
Myth 1: “Bleisure isn’t for me – I can’t afford to take time off.”
As Henry Ford once said, “Whether you think you can or you think you can’t, you’re right.”
The first step in making bleisure work for you is to believe it’s possible. One small-business owner I know said that after years of micromanaging, she delegated more tasks to her team and allowed herself the freedom to travel. Could you, too, prioritise things you love like travel rather than waiting for ‘one day’?
Myth 2: “Bleisure is just about attending conferences in exotic locations.”
Bleisure isn’t limited to traveling to conferences and adding a few vacation days. It’s about finding ways to mix work and leisure on a smaller, more regular scale.
It can be as simple as taking your laptop to a café in a nearby city, attending a networking event that ends with a leisurely dinner, or even working from a scenic spot like a park or a beach. The idea is to integrate enjoyment and relaxation into your work routine regularly, not just once a year on a big vacation.
Myth 3: “I have a family, so bleisure won’t work for me.”
Bringing your family along for the ride can be the ultimate bleisure experience. Many business owners assume that work trips should be purely business-focused, but why not incorporate your loved ones into the journey?
One founder I know turned a European business trip into a family vacation by scheduling client meetings during the day and sightseeing with her family in the evenings. She was able to make precious memories with her family while maintaining her work commitments.
Myth 4: “Bleisure is just another term for being a digital nomad.”
Bleisure and digital nomadism are not the same thing. While digital nomads often live and work remotely from foreign destinations for extended periods, bleisure is about integrating leisure and work on a day-to-day or week-to-week basis, without requiring long-term travel.
You don’t need to quit your job and move to Bali to experience bleisure. It can be as simple as taking an extra day off after a business trip to unwind or turning a workday into a mini-getaway by working in a new environment. The key is to find harmony between work and relaxation in a way that works for your lifestyle.
Myth 5: “I’ll be less productive if I blend work and leisure.”
The truth is, incorporating leisure into your work life can boost your productivity. By taking regular breaks and allowing yourself time to relax and recharge, you return to work more focused and energised.
A study by the American Psychological Association found that workers who take breaks and vacations have higher levels of engagement and job satisfaction. For small-business founders, who often experience burnout from the constant pressure of running a business, bleisure offers a way to prevent overwhelm.
So, how can you begin incorporating bleisure into your life as a small-business founder? Start by looking at your current work schedule and identifying opportunities to add leisure. Perhaps you can extend a work trip by a day, or block off a Friday afternoon to work from a location that inspires you. Embrace the flexibility that comes with being a small-business owner.
What could you start doing more of to live your bleisure life?
