Entrepreneurs often struggle to get away from work. With plenty of responsibilities falling on their shoulders, who can blame them if they are hesitant to go on a break? According to other professionals, though, vacations can be good for business as they can spark creativity, which might just be what your company needs.
At first, it can be tough to go on holiday without experiencing pangs of guilt, but it's not entirely impossible. Here's how you can do just that:
Preparing Your People: For your enterprise to function properly during your absence, your staff has to be able to make the right choices. This requires making sure they are equipped with the necessary information to do their jobs—and maybe a part of yours too. This usually entails calling for a meeting and delegating temporary assignments. You might even have to give of possible action plans for tackling any and every situation that might arise.
Managing Client Expectations: Letting clients know that you'll be away is probably the most unnerving aspect of vacation planning. Of course, you have to make certain they understand that the same level of work will be done while you're absent. If you can, inform them who will be handling what tasks and that your employees can contact you in the event of an emergency. It is ideal if you can let your clients know at least a month ahead of time so they won't be caught by surprise.
Arranging for Virtual Services: Technology has brought forth a lot of great things for business travellers. Some of these are telephone answering and mail handling services. With these, you are assured that you don't miss any opportunities while on your well-deserved break. It can be easy to book these as you can simply upgrade your office space for rent in Quezon City or in other locales. Just check with your commercial space provider and see what virtual packages they have to offer in your area.
Planning Around Slow Periods: If you've noticed that there are predictable weeks when the demand is low, that is the best time to go on vacation. For instance, if you've observed that the months of August to November are less critical for your target audience, schedule your trips then. However, you will need to take note of busier times of the year too as you don't want to be absent when a flood or orders or projects comes in.
Setting a Schedule: Some entrepreneurs are able to cut communication with their office completely. More often, though, they set aside times during the day when they make calls or check their inbox. You could, for example, read your messages first thing in the morning and right before bedtime. Or, you could carve out two hours in morning to attend to calls about projects and other concerns that can't wait until your return. The important thing is to never let your work overlap with other things on your itinerary.
Parting Thoughts Running a business comes with many duties but that doesn't mean that you should not give yourself time to recharge your batteries. In fact, you should have all the more reason to set aside time for relaxing and understanding how you can improve your company even from a distance.
Working long hours with little to no “me time” will take a toll on your physical and psychological health. The last thing you would want is to experience burnout. So, pack your bags and book your tickets. If you are still having second thoughts about going away for a while, just refer to the tips mentioned above.
About the Author: Jenna Cruz is a freelance writer from Regus in the Philippines, a company catering to those looking for rental office spaces and virtual services. They also have solutions to offer to home-based entrepreneurs.
