Need better conversations? Sign up for my email list to get a free chapter of my new book, More Than Just Talk.

For the last few weeks I’ve not been out networking. At all. My extroverted side is screaming, “Hey! What gives?” My more introverted, introspective side is breathing a sigh of relief. At some point my two sides will work it out and find a compromise. But in the meantime I wanted to share some of the many reasons why and when it’s okay to take a break from your business socialization schedule.

  1. You’re busy following up on all the connections you made in your previous networking efforts.
  2. Better yet, you’ve earned a ton of new business from said networking efforts. The pipleline is blissfully full. (Just don’t get too comfy here.)
  3. You need a break from people. Nothing less. Nothing more.
  4. You’re in the midst of envisioniong, creating, or developing a new product or service offering.  It’s time to get focused and get ‘er done.
  5. You’re dealing with personal issues. (It’s okay. Life happens.)
  6. You’re choosing to take some time for yourself or your loved ones. (I used to take the summers off from networking when my son was young. Don’t regret that at all.)
  7. You’re seeing the same people over and over again and need to back away, evaluate, strategize, and expand or change up your networking efforts.
  8. None of the networking groups you know about have events or programs that remotely interest you. It’s simply a dry spell.
  9. Cold and flu season is at it’s apex and you have a trip to [insert dream destination] planned in a few weeks. You want to stay germ-free.

Any of these reasons are good ones, but again, don’t let your hiatus last too long. Otherwise you’ll have to rebuild any momentum you worked so hard for or (worst case) people will think you’ve moved away, retired, fallen off the face of the earth, or just aren’t interested or engaged any more.

What would you add to the list? I’m interested to hear when and why you may have intentionally chosen to back away from the networking circuit.

——————————————–

Big news!  If you don’t yet own a copy of The Intentional Networker: Attracting Powerful Relationships, Referrals & Results in Business, I’m going to play temptress and offer you a FREE sample chapter.  Simply go to http://www.intentionalnetworker.com/ and sign up. Your free chapter will land in your email inbox the next day.