I've come to believe that we need to work at not getting into a rut, especially as entrepreneurs.  A rut can be any routine that becomes drudgery, a pattern we repeatedly grind through without moving forward.  There's no doubt that I am a believe in "work hard, play hard."  But even that mentality can eventually become somewhat of a routine.  Time is our more valuable commodity and I am passionate about making it count and getting the most out of it.

A change of environment can be very refreshing, and help you to crystallize your thinking, create new perspectives, and stimulate new ideas. It can also help you to bond with family and friends and recharge your batteries. The reason is to avoid the rut that sneaks up on you, to be with your family or the people you love, to recharge your batteries, to interact with bright minds, to meet new people and network, and to get work done and get organized. I have discovered some interesting things. You can work anywhere.

With the Internet and video conferencing, Internet networks, and text and cell service, you can get more done away sometimes than in your normal location, working in your regular “routine.” Quite often in that environment, you are frequently interrupted and are handcuffed by people’s expectations people. When you go away together, it brings you together more than traveling those separate routines or ruts that divide you when you are home. It’s funny how you can live in one place but be in separate worlds.

This secret is as my greatest discovery: you do not have to live in one place — you can have multiple homes, move around and you can work from anywhere thanks to the internet, your phone, video conferencing, networking and a to-do list and project folders. It’s all about the joy of the journey.

To view more photos from my Aspen ski trip go to www.facebook.com/jamesridinger