In business, there’s always something that needs to be done. Whether its finding a new avenue for marketing, perpetuating growth, or taking care of customers, time is a precious commodity. The amount of time and hard work that goes into making your business successful in familiar territory for any entrepreneur. You shed blood, sweat, and tears towards making your business succeed so it can support you and your family.
Now, it’s time to take care of your business’s most important asset, you. While you are doing all that hard work, your mind and body are taking a beating. The need to rest and recoup on a regular basis must become a priority. Here are some reasons why getting away is important and tips to make it happen.
Why Getting Away is Not a Luxury
We are not machines. We’re not built to go non-stop without breaks day in and day out. We all need a break and taking a vacation has both physical and mental benefits. Regardless of how ridiculous it may sound to step away, the truth is if you don’t take time for yourself and your family, the consequences can be costly.
Owning and running a business brings a great deal of stress into our lives. That stress needs to be managed appropriately. If stress is not managed properly, it can have adverse effects on us physically, such as insomnia, mood or personality changes, high blood pressure, and unhealthy weight gain/loss. Along with adverse impacts on our physical health, mismanaged stress can cause mental problems and create strain on the relationships we have with others in both our personal and professional lives. We can become short-tempered, irrational, impulsive, complacent, or even uncaring in how we treat others around us. This behavior can lead to losing good employees, losing business, and even losing contact with friends and families.
Taking a break/vacation becomes imperative for your health and well-being your business. It allows for you to release built-up stress, calm the mind, and strengthen your relationships with friends and family that have been put on the back burner.
Preparing the Business
Just like when you are running your business, planning becomes center stage when figuring out vacation time. The more planning and preparation you do, the easier you will find it to put your feet up. Unless, you are able to close your business for a week, the first things that you should do is to find a reliable, hard-working individual on your staff to manage the day-to-day tasks. You can teach that person to become the leader and decision maker of the business in your absence. You do this by teaching them the various parts of your business they will need to master, so you are confident they will make decisions that you would approve of. Although this process can take a little time, the benefits are numerous.
Once you feel your manager has obtained the proper amount of training, you can give them an opportunity to use their newly gotten knowledge by disappearing for a while. Maybe its leaving early or arriving late on different days. When comfortable, it may not be a bad idea to become unreachable for a day to see how your manager handles the challenges that arise. You will find that as your manager’s skills improves, your anxiety about leaving will start to subside.
Picking the Proper Time
One of the ways to schedule a proper vacation is by picking the proper time. Each business tends to have its own unique ebb and flow. Being able to recognize this flow will allow you to pick a time when a vacation is possible. In other words, if your business is busy in June, then maybe trying to schedule one then is a bad idea. Study your business and look for the pattern. Once you find the rhythm of your business, you can pick a slow week to take a vacation. By doing so, there will be less impact on the business and less anxiety for you.
Keeping Your Finger on the Pulse: Plan Check-in Times
If you are one of those people who needs to know how things are going at the shop on a daily basis, don’t fret. One thing you can do is designate some time each day during your vacation to contact the manager and get the lowdown as to what is happening in your business. This way you are aware of any unforeseen troubles that arise. Not only will you feel more comfortable being away, you’ll also be able to provide insight and directions for situations which arise that are out of the ordinary. Fifteen minutes may be all that’s needed to allow you to stay in the loop.
A Change of Perspective
Taking a break allows a person to reevaluate different aspects of their lives and their business. It also allows an owner to return to their business with a fresh pair of eyes. A fresh pair of eyes means the possibility of discovery and innovation. Whether it’s finding a solution to a chronic problem or realizing a way to improve your business, a new perspective can help you see ways to elevate your venture to next level. Who knows, maybe you’ll see something on vacation that you can use in your own business.
Family
One of the most important reasons to take a vacation is to strengthen the bond you have with your family. It’s easy to get lost in the day-to-day of the business and miss out on the lives of family. You’ll find that taking the time to focus on your family will revitalize your soul and remind you why you work so hard. It also allows your family unfettered access to you, because chances are they miss you. Cherish the time you have with them and allow their love to motivate you.
Taking a vacation can seem like a ludicrous idea for someone who owns a business, but it can be one of the most important things that you can do. As a business owner, you must remember that the health of your business is tied to your own physical and mental well-being. If you are out of balance, chances are so is your business. Time away can allow you to relieve stress, strengthen family bonds, and realign perspectives. Above all enjoy yourself. Time is one thing we can’t get back.
