Big, big mistake. Even a super-Calvinist needs some time away from the job, especially a highly focused and stressful job. Whether you're aware of it or not, the mind as well as the body tires out, and when that happens, your overall productivity starts to slide. Even worse for family business executives and managers, you start making mistakes in judgment when you don't take time off occasionally, the kinds of mistakes that affect business strategy as well as daily operations. It's not just a matter of forgetting a big customer's name or screwing up an order.
Some people really lose perspective when they work for too long without a break.
Minor annoyances get blown out of proportion, and major problems sneak under the tent without being recognized. Not taking a little vacation time now and then puts your body under increased strain, too, the cumulative kind that you can feel, whether or not you admit it, and that sooner or later will have a real negative impact on your health. If you're a senior family business owner, a lot of people count on you as a manager, family leader and all round foundation block. You're not doing those people any favors by pushing, pushing, pushing and setting yourself up for a major physical collapse. Then there's the forest and trees effect.