How to take a break as a business owner

When was the last time you took a break from your business? Not an afternoon off to run errands when the 9-5ers are still in work, but an actual break? 

As business owners we automatically become every element of our business, so therefore, when we take time off, our businesses take time off too. But rest is so important. It has been proven to boost creativity and our ability to problem solve which are both vital for any business. 

So bearing that in mind, I’m taking a week long holiday this week to enjoy some time away from my business so that I can return to my clients with renewed energy. 

Here’s how I’m making that break possible. 

Plan ahead 

I planned my August holiday back in March, giving me plenty of time to get ahead with work and manage the expectations of my clients. 

My holiday dates have been in my email signature for quite some time so people know I won’t be around for any ad hoc requests.

My group programme Fully Booked Bootcamp is currently in full swing, so this week, instead of spacing my calls out across the week (I usually do my weekly calls Monday, Wednesday, and Thursday), I’ve done all of my calls today (Monday) and am leaving for my holiday tomorrow (Tuesday). This means all my clients are well looked after and I get to go away with a clear conscience. Again, this has been planned for quite some time, so my clients have had these particular calls scheduled in. There’s nothing worse than surprising people with news of your break last minute!

Manage your workload 

This may seem like something you should be doing regardless, but a well planned workload is vital when planning time away from your screen. 

Break down every task into minute detail. When approaching a task, map it out, and work out the exact timings for each task. Then with this information, put them in a logical order. For example, perhaps you feel like you really need to concentrate when approaching your monthly invoices - plan these in for a time when you feel most alert. By approaching tasks that require concentration when you’re most alert, you reduce the likelihood of human error, so waste less time rectifying mistakes. 

In the lead up to your break, spend time mapping out the days, hours, and minutes before your holiday. It’s human nature to leave tasks on a Friday afternoon until Monday that you don’t want to do, but by doing this before a holiday you’re adding to a workload at a time you should be relaxing. Plan some of the tasks you love for that “Friday afternoon feeling” so that you’ll get everything done before you switch on your out of office. 

Be firm in your out of office

Having an Out of Office on is vital so that people who are contacting you unexpectedly, and perhaps haven’t seen your email signature, know when to expect a response. Be careful though, and don’t offer up your phone number. A popular Out of Office has something along the lines of “In case of an emergency please call me via XXX” but people have very different definitions of emergency. 

Instead, hold your ground. Explain that you are on holiday, give a date for your return, and provide a reasonable date they can expect a response by (this does not need to be the date of your return). By providing people with an ETA on your email reply, you’re still demonstrating that you value their custom, and when you meet that ETA on your return you’re demonstrating that you’re reliable and true to your word.

Be realistic about what work you’re taking on
If you know you’re taking a week off during a month, don’t take on a whole month's worth of work from clients that needs to be completed by month end. 

Managing your workload and planning out how long tasks take will be absolutely vital here as you’ll be able to predict how much work you can take on during the month of your holiday. 

Consider also any deadlines in the lead up to your break and whether your client often requires reworks. Say for example you’ve been given a deadline while you are on holiday so provide the work to the client ahead of the deadline, before you go on holiday. They then request multiple reworks which eat into the time leading up to your holiday, or worse, while you’re away. 

Make sure you plan for this as much as possible, and be realistic with your client about deadlines for reworks. 

Enjoy your holiday!

Remember while you’re away that your business isn’t going anywhere, and neither are your clients and customers. Enjoy the time off you have planned and return to work re-energised and inspired. 

If you’re not quite at the fully booked stage in your business then my Fully Booked Bootcamp might be the perfect opportunity to plan and deliver an amazing 2022.

The doors open again in September 2021, register here to receive an exclusive early bird offer.