Owning or managing a business can be stressful and time-consuming. Doing it right may mean time away from family, friends, hobbies, and other activities you'd enjoy if you actually had any free time. You've likely earned yourself a vacation, but you may be worried that you're needed to make things go smoothly at your company. However, if you make the right preparations, you can feel good about taking your well-deserved vacation.

Time Off Comes With Benefits

Taking some time off gives you a chance to refresh and unload some of the burden you've been carrying on your shoulders. Stepping away for a period can help you clear your mind and come back more focused and ready to take on any challenges that still lie ahead. The stress of running a business can be overwhelming, so refreshing from time to time is vital to your physical health, as well as your ability to effectively lead. If you haven't taken a vacation recently, start planning for some time off as soon as possible.

Make Sure Employees Are Prepared

Effectively preparing ahead of time is key and will help you better enjoy your time away. Having someone else manage things for brief periods, even if it's just a day, will give you both the chance to see how the business will run when you're not there. You may discover weaknesses that need to be addressed, or day-to-day procedures that need tweaking. Once those issues have been addressed, you'll be able to rest easier and eliminate stress by simply knowing the people running the ship are qualified and know what they're doing.  

Be sure to plan for unexpected circumstances that may arise, because you never know what might go wrong while you're out of the office. When should your staff reach out to you? What situations can wait until you return?

Consider the Timing

You'll want to make sure to time your vacation right. For example, don’t plan to be out during your busiest period or when you are expected to attend important meetings. You'll also want to avoid taking off when key team members have already been approved to take their own vacations. Take a good look at your company calendar well in advance so you can choose an ideal time to step away. Be flexible if you can, but try to make sure vacations are scheduled at different times so you don't find yourself short-handed.

Communicate with Clients

While you'll definitely want to communicate your plans to employees, don't forget to also keep clients in the loop. It can be off-putting to a client who tries to reach you and doesn’t receive a response.

"It’s professional courtesy to let your clients know you’ll be out of the office so they can plan accordingly," says Susan Guillory at All Business.1 "Rather than them being annoyed, you’ll probably find them jealous, and talking travel can spark some fun personal dialogue that will help you build your relationships with clients. Set your autoresponder to let people know when you’ll be back, and do the same with your voicemail message. If you have meetings scheduled, be sure to cancel or reschedule them well in advance."

Really Step Away from Business

You may be tempted to take your work with you, and in some instances, it may be unavoidable. However, you will benefit much more from leaving work behind until you return. Regardless of whether you're traveling for a true vacation or simply taking time off to relax at home, try to unplug from business for the duration of your break. Otherwise, it's not a true break, and you risk losing out on the vacation benefits, defeating the whole purpose.

It's not always easy for a business owner or bust executive to step away, but just remember that you've earned some time off and deserve a break. Being able to recharge can make you more effective when it's time to get back to work.

1. https://www.allbusiness.com/take-a-vacation-from-your-business-without-worry-145815-1.html

 

The information provided is presented for general informational purposes only and does not constitute tax, legal or business advice. Any views expressed in this article may not necessarily be those of Nevada State Bank. Nevada State Bank is a division of Zions Bancorporation, N.A. Member FDIC