How to Take off While Your Business Takes off

When you're running your own business, it can be difficult to take a break. But a vacation gives you time to refresh your mind, body and creativity. With the right preparation, you can have peace of mind about taking a vacation. 

Plan ahead for your next vacation. Consider the following tips to prepare for your well-deserved break:

Think Ahead

Spontaneity can be fun, but it can also leave room for errors. Take time to plan your vacation and how your business will continue to run in your absence. Follow these steps:

  1. Tell customers/clients well in advance so the majority of work is taken care of early.
  2. Make lists of important information and procedures for those in command during your absence.
  3. Have trial vacations with long weekends.
  4. Make arrangements with a trusted peer to handle customer emergencies.

Let Go

Did you know your method might not be the best method? We don't mean to start a turf war, but when employees are given unsupervised time to work, they often discover more efficient methods for completing their duties. Then again, they might not, but given responsibilities and freedom, employees tend to work harder and work longer hours. Isn't that worth admitting you could be wrong?

Letting go of responsibility and control may take some practice before you truly enjoy your getaway. Try starting with small things that will lighten up your daily routine. Here's how to let go:

  1. Start by hiring reliable employees so you can feel confident leaving the office.
  2. Focus on vacation, not on work.
  3. Establish how much vacation time will be dedicated to work, and don't exceed that limit. (Avoid saying “10 more minutes” when you really need an hour.)
  4. Set up 'out of office' voicemail and email messages, designating the next person of contact, as well as if and when you will be checking messages. This not only helps customers know when to expect a response, but also gives you the feeling of freedom from those messages the rest of the day.
  5. Give the employee in charge your itinerary and a way to contact you in case of a dire emergency.
  6. Communicate what constitutes a dire emergency.

With enough planning, it might even be advantageous to shut down for the duration of your vacation. It is not uncommon for small businesses to close for a couple weeks or even a month the same time every year. If you are worried your business will fail in your absence, it is probably time you re-examine your business model.