Amid the hectic day-to-day of running a business, it can be easy to lose sight of how long you’ve been working since your last vacation. Small business owners, in particular, can find it challenging to take time off and disconnect—but taking time off is essential, not a luxury. A purposeful vacation will rejuvenate your energy and focus and strengthen your relationships with loved ones, while fostering a healthier, more adaptable culture at work.
How do you take a vacation as a small business owner?
Rest is essential for your physical well-being, mental health, and business . Although stepping away might make you feel uneasy, the steps below will ensure your business runs smoothly in your absence, so you can use your vacation to relax and unwind.
Establishing these new protocols will also generally make your business more adaptable, so you can reduce your responsibilities and let your business support itself if you need to take time off for any reason.
1. Plan far in advance
The further you plan ahead, the more time you’ll have to establish new workflows, accountability hierarchies, and communication processes for your absence. This will also give your employees time to prepare for a potentially increased workload.
If you’re uncertain about booking too far in advance, keep in mind that many flights and hotels will give you full refunds or vouchers up until a few days or weeks before your trip. Better to plan your days off and cancel due to emergency than scramble for a much-needed vacation at the last minute. (Try your best not to cancel, though!)
2. Schedule around slow periods
Most businesses see seasonal fluctuations in revenue. Based on your data from previous years, try to plan vacations around periods of lower revenue or demand, if possible.
During exceptionally slow times, it may even make sense to close your business for a week or a season, giving you even more peace of mind. This could also act as an additional perk for your employees—knowing they have built-in time off around slower seasons can help them plan their own vacations, too.
3. Set boundaries
Clearly define your availability to your team and tell them when and for what reasons they should contact you. Empower employees to resolve issues themselves and only reach out to you for emergencies.
In some cases, it might even be helpful to set boundaries for yourself. If you have a hard time “turning off,” you might want to use screen time features on your phone to limit when you can access email and other business-related apps.
4. Delegate tasks
Redistribute some of your tasks and responsibilities to your team (without overburdening any individual person). For example, you can empower them to make and schedule bill payments to ensure essential and time-sensitive operations continue smoothly.
It might also be helpful to set up an out-of-office document to identify each team member’s extra areas of responsibility. This way, there’s no confusion if something out of the ordinary comes up.
5. Notify partners, vendors, and clients
If necessary, tell your clients, suppliers, and key stakeholders in advance when you’ll be taking a vacation. Provide them with alternate contact information and assure them there will be someone available to handle their needs.
While you don’t have to notify everyone, make sure you include your key partners and vendors. And, of course, set up that out-of-office email with pertinent information for anyone who didn’t get the message beforehand.
6. Promote time off as part of your company culture
Rest is crucial for both business owners and employees, so make it a pillar of your company culture. Set an example that taking time off to relax, spending time with one’s family, and avoiding burnout is important. Extend the paid time off available to your employees and encourage them to use it. Well-rested employees (and founders!) are able to show up more consistently and enthusiastically for their businesses, which is better for everyone in the long run.
Whether you take a trip with your partner, children, or friends, it’s important to take some time for yourself and those you love. Following these tips can help make the time away from your business less stressful—so you can come back rested and ready to take on your next challenge.
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