Why ‘Vacation’ Should Be in Every Entrepreneur’s Dictionary

All around you, people are talking about their travel and vacation plans. As an entrepreneur, you might not remember what the “v” word is.

We are going to let you in on a little secret. It might be beneficial for your business for you to unplug for a few days and go on a trip.

Career advancement coach Lauren Milligan told Forbes the following:

“It’s easy for self-employed people to convince themselves that they can’t get away – that they’ll lose business or clients if they take time off. In all honesty, that’s rarely the case. Three things are needed: Fair notice to current clients, a continuity plan and an emergency plan. With these in place, solopreneurs can take guilt-free vacations just like a salaried employee,” she said.

Not convinced? Here are five reasons business owners should enjoy a vacation now and then.

Hit the Restart

As an entrepreneur, every day can bring new challenges and problems to solve. It can also be a life of solitude and one rooted in routine.  Mithun Appaiah, CEO, Sumeru Foods mentioned in an Entrepreneur article “(A vacation is) a break from your routine and gives you a fresh perspective towards your business. You too need to recharge yourself to run your start-up,” he said.

Get the Juices Going

If you have the opportunity to travel abroad, witness how people live, interact, consume goods and products, socialize with each other. Are there new ideas or perspectives that you can bring back to your business? Creativity tends to bubble up once there’s a catalyst.

Practice What You Preach

Do you encourage your employees to take a break or give them a day off after a long project? People tend to mimic the behaviors of their supervisors to show they are worthy of a job. Set an example you want others to follow.

Recharge

Have you worked every day for three months? Skipped a workout to prepare a pitch presentation? Fell asleep at your computer? Burnout is a reality (see “How Entrepreneurs Can Prioritize Themselves”). Take time to catch up on sleep, exercise and relax. Your body and mind will thank us.

Fun

Theoretically, we only live once. Might as well make the most of it. Enjoy your family and friends. Learn a new skill, cross an item off the bucket list, get social media likes. Whatever it is – be in the moment and relish the experience.

Great, You Are Ready to Go

However, as we know the world keeps on revolving whether you are in office or out of office. Now that you have the ticket and lodging booked (or decided on a staycation), here are tips for making your time off as successful as possible for both you and your company.

Cancel Recurring Meetings and Block Off Your Calendar

As soon as you’ve decided on your trip, scream it to the cloud. Tell your colleagues, set yourself as busy on your work calendar, inform vendors, investors, clients and reschedule any meetings already scheduled for that time.

Designate a Pitch Hitter  

You invested time, energy and money to hire a great team. Now, let them shine. A good leader empowers her team and learns how to delegate. Prepare your team beforehand with any key deadlines or timely deliverables. Also, let others in the company and externally know who to contact in your absence.

If You Need To, Set a Check In Time

We get it. Your business is your child, and it can be difficult to let go completely. Of course, you want to make sure your baby is OK. If it will help you enjoy your well-earned vacation more to know everything on the business front is fine, set a consistent time each day when you will be online. Let your team know so if there are urgent items, they can communicate them (be mindful of different time zones).  Try not to spend more than an hour on work items during your break.

Automation is Your Friend

One woman show? Utilize technology to schedule future social media posts, e-mail campaigns and web content. Have a flexible budget? Explore using an artificial intelligence (AI) virtual assistant or a human virtual assistant to keep up with your calendar and e-mails while you are away. Also, don’t forget to set an out of office before you unplug!

Plan Your Reentry Strategy

How are you going to catch up on e-mails? Who do you want to be available to on your first day back? By having a plan for your return from vacation, you can ease the anxiety of returning to a metaphoric pile of paper on your desk.  

Don’t Apologize for Taking Time for Yourself

“The time you take away is an investment in being able to do high quality work when you’re back,” said Sam Butler, a public relations adviser to Forbes. “A lot of solo business people got that way because they wanted to create their own reality, be their own boss, and not be tied to someone else’s schedule. If you can’t even take a short vacation every once in a while, sorry, but you gotta ask yourself what you’re doing wrong.”