CEO Monthly Reflection | June 2024 | The Power of a Pause
Monthly Reflection | June 26, 2024
By Terence McCarron, CEO
It’s been a manic June for us. Some days it feels like the momentum is going to only accelerate.
OpinionRoute is setting a new company record for monthly revenue. Simultaneously, our leadership team is adopting a fresh style of collaboration and mutual accountability. We are onboarding new teammates. Our teams are onboarding new tech and services clients. Our Sales Team is expanding their skill set. We also have a couple maternity leaves upcoming.
Talk about Growth!
But it’s also June. Our kids are home from school. The weather has been hot and sunny and many of us have vacations planned.
Maybe there’s a feeling of guilt creeping in. After all, it’s been a tough year plus for the MRX industry. Should I skip the time off and just keep my nose to the grindstone?
I’m here to tell you NOT to do that.
Take the time to pause. Take that week off. Go put the phones down. Unplug from the laptop. Reconnect with your purpose and mother nature. Even if just for a day.
The McCarron Refresh 2024
Since we moved to Ohio from NJ in 2013, our friends learned quickly we are snobs about two things: Pizza and Beaches. Yet, in the spirit of unplugging and refreshing, this month I’ve led my family on beach visits along Lake Erie. I quickly learned I’ve been a fool for 11 years. We should have done this frequently before now.
My kids have latched on to these mini trips with enthusiasm. Phones get put away. Old-school digital cameras have suddenly appeared- focusing on the art, not the scroll. They obsess over finding the perfect angle of the sunset over the Lake.
Kid #1 is reveling in the city skyline in the distance. Kids 2 & 4 are discussing the light in each picture taken. #3 is probably building up a future Instagram story with the digital camera instead of the iPhone. (Well, I guess nothing is perfect.)
My wife, Heather, and I are just sitting there… Listening to the waves, feeling the breeze and sunshine, and enjoying increasingly rare moments when all 4 of our kids are together. I’m truly back at my core.
Meanwhile, my mind is calmer and more open, even on work matters. I’m thinking about opportunities at the office and in the market. My perspective is broadening. My appreciation for our team expands even further. Clarity can be a real gift.
25 years into my career, it isn’t a revelation that taking a break helps us refresh. But after what we’ve been through together the last few years, it’s more of a reminder. It is so vital to hit Pause. Not only will you spend precious time with those who matter most… But you’ll come back in a place to truly Work Better.
What’s your favorite place to pause?