Making sure the business runs smoothly while on vacation takes planning. Here are some tips.
Any business owner knows that the hours aren’t 9-5. At least not if you want to turn a profit. That means now and then taking a vacation to get away from it all or risk burnout if you don’t, and the latter situation isn’t good for anyone, including your team. So, how do you manage your 24/7 business while on vacation?
Plan Far in Advance
Making sure the business runs smoothly while you’re out of town takes some planning. It’s best to start thinking ahead and making plans as far as six months before you’ll go away.
Think about what month is slow for your industry and try to make the getaway during that time. Doing so will mean there’s less to worry about and plan for while on vacation.
Secure Your Business
To keep your physical space secure while you’re away, ensure you have a security monitoring system in place. Also, invest in LEpro LED wall pack lights to light up the grounds. Mount these lights on exterior walls before heading out of the city.
Also, ask a trustworthy friend to pop by every few days to pick up any delivered mail, so it’s not glaringly obvious that you’re not there to do it yourself. Another option is to ask the post office to keep your mail for the time you’re away.
Get Ahead of the Work
You’re taking a trip, and it’s going to be amazing, provided you don’t have to work on your laptop while everyone else is sipping cocktails or snorkeling. If you get the work done before you go, then sit back and enjoy the adventure along with your fellow travelers.
It’s a mental break from it all that you deserve to take, so get those deadlines done before you go. Then you’re not tied to the internet while away.
Set Up Emails to Reply Automatically
While you’re away, you won’t want to seem rude by not responding to business contacts who email you. After all, not everyone knows that you’re on vacation.
If they reach out with questions or opportunities for you, don’t miss out or risk putting a damper on a professional relationship that you’ve been nurturing for months. Instead, set up an autoresponder on email.
If your team or business contacts also reach out to you by phone and you’d rather not be disturbed – there’s pool time to enjoy instead! – then create a voicemail to explain that you’re away and will reply to messages upon your return.
Set aside time once a day to listen to the messages for any urgent calls. While it may be tempting to reply to everything you hear, only do so for the ones that are truly an emergency. You deserve time off!
Final Words on Vacation as a Business Owner
While you might feel guilty taking time away from the biz, it’s the best thing you can do for yourself, family, and customers. Recharge your batteries during the break and come back to the office feeling refreshed.
You may even find yourself feeling more creative after taking a holiday than before you left, whether you go for the weekend or an entire month. Enjoy yourself!
