Breaking Free

By Rafael Caamano, BBA, MBA

During the last 12 months, I have observed a common trend, both in my personal and professional life, where we tend to get caught in an endless cycle of activities. While some of these activities are undoubtedly necessary and important, others may be less critical. In today’s digital age, where we are constantly connected through smartphones, tracking watches, and social media, finding time for anything else, especially ourselves, can be challenging.

Yes, ourselves. I have noticed that many of us are constantly busy, but not necessarily moving towards specific business goals or working on areas that truly matter. Instead, I see business owners dedicating their most precious asset, time, to entertain or chase things that may not be relevant or valuable to their businesses or themselves. It’s a vicious cycle that can leave us feeling overwhelmed and unfulfilled.

However, taking the time to step off the endless spinning wheel and investing in ourselves can be the key to becoming more effective, focused, and motivated not just in our businesses, but in our personal lives as well. It’s crucial to take control of our calendars and other distractions to create space for activities that truly enrich our spirits and minds, such as taking a walk, pursuing a hobby, spending time with family, or taking care of our pets.

After all, we are the main protagonists of our own lives, the captains of our ships, which gives us the power to have some control over our destinies. With approximately 665,000 hours left to live (though the exact number may vary for each of us), it’s essential to use our time wisely and prioritize what truly matters and that should be ourselves. Let’s make a conscious effort to invest in ourselves, take care of our well-being, and focus on what truly brings us joy and fulfillment. After all, we owe it to ourselves to make the most out of the limited time we have.

The University of Central Florida Business Incubation Program is a community resource that provides early-stage companies with the tools, training, and infrastructure to become financially stable, high growth/impact enterprises. Since 1999, this award-winning program has provided vital business development resources resulting in over 300 local startup companies reaching their potential faster and graduating into the community where they continue to grow and positively impact the local economy.

With eight facilities throughout the region, the UCF Business Incubation Program is an economic development partnership between the University of Central Florida, the Corridor, Orange, Osceola, Seminole, and Volusia Counties, and the cities of Kissimmee, Orlando, and Winter Springs. For the 2017/2018 fiscal years, the activities of these participating firms have helped to sustain more than 6,725 local jobs and have had a cumulative impact of over $725 million on regional GDP and over $1.3 billion on regional sales. During the same period, the program has returned more than $12.00 in state and local taxes for every $1.00 invested in the program. In addition, for every $1.00 of public investment, the firms also produced $118 of additional regional GDP and $226 of regional sales. For more information, visit  www.incubator.ucf.edu.