As a business owner, it can be hard to take a holiday from your enterprise. After all, this is your livelihood and something you have poured energy and passion into building.
However, taking a break is important, allowing you to recharge, regroup and view your business from a fresh perspective.
So here are the top tips to ensure you get the holiday you need for yourself, your business and your family.
Contact customers early
If you’re a sole trader, this tip is particularly important – contact your customers early to advise you will be away, and ask them about anything they might need during that time.
Alerting customers to your absence helps set expectations and builds stronger relationships.
Not only does it illustrate you have their interests at heart, it also allows you to plan in advance and fulfil any orders or jobs before going away.
Plan in advance
Although you might be away, it doesn’t mean business needs to grind to a halt.
On the marketing front, schedule social media posts and website articles to go live during your absence, and set up automatic email responses to reply to people informing you are away and advising when you will be back.
If other staff will be covering your duties, direct your emails to them.
As I mentioned before, you might also need to fulfil extra jobs in the lead-up to your holiday to ensure your customers are catered to in advance.
Delegate what you can
If you’re a business who has staff, delegate your duties in advance, using systems and procedures to ensure your customers receive the same service from employees as they would from you.
Do take the time to walk the staff member in charge through the tasks that they will be performing while you’re away and provide an insight into what you would do in a situation where something doesn’t go to plan.
Let them know the circumstances when they should contact you for further advice.
Set clear boundaries
On that note, the idea is for you to have a holiday, not remain continuously on call. It’s up to you whether you decide to take business calls or not, or how regularly you will check your emails, but it is important you take a mental break from your business.
A great way to manage this is to set boundaries. Perhaps set a time when you will check in with staff, or schedule a small period each day or each week when you check your work emails.
A break brings fresh perspective
Yes, it can be challenging to step away from your business. But the reality is it can survive without you. More importantly, it is imperative business owners make the time to take a holiday every now and then.
A break from your business allows you to see it in a different light, while stepping away is also important to your mental health and wellbeing, preventing burnout while helping reinstate that all important work life balance.
If you’re looking for assistance in planning or creating systems and procedures in your business that allow you to enjoy the lifestyle you deserve and take a well-earned break, why not book a discovery call with me here?
Talk Strategy with Clive
With more than 30 years’ experience in mentoring small to medium-sized businesses around Australia. Clive works with company owners and their teams to grow their business and achieve goals through startegic coaching.
