How-To Articles

How to Vacation Manage Your Time Effectively

Small business owners need to recognize that vacations aren?t just a luxury, they?re a necessity. Unfortunately when you?re a small business owner whose business still requires a lot of daily personal attention, it?s tough to tear yourself away for a vacation. On the other hand, maybe you don?t want to tear yourself away, but your spouse/family want you to. That?s why vacations can be tough for small business owners who feel emotionally attached to their companies. You could either spend the entire time working anyway and not enjoying your vacation, or you could spend the entire time worrying about the work you?re not doing and still not enjoying your vacation.

On top of that, there?s never a "good? time to vacation. The truth is, as a small business owner, there?ll never be a "good? time to vacation. You just have to do it anyway. Taking breaks and enjoying life helps you avoid burnout.

Once you realize that vacations are actually important, how do you free your mind of work and get the most out of your time away? One solution is to properly prepare for your departure well in advance.

Here are a few tips to planning for the big getaway.

1. First and foremost, firmly establish someone to be in charge in your absence. If you don?t have a clear No. 2 person, find one. This doesn?t have to be an incredibly business-savvy mini version of you, it just has to be a trusted employee or someone who is entirely capable of keeping the business afloat for the duration of your absence.


2. Clearly outline for your employees exactly what is expected of them while you?re away. Write out a week-by-week or day-by-day overview if you have to. Just be sure that you?re making it easy for them to meet your expectations and keep things going.


3. Let your customers know, with plenty of notice, that you will be going on vacation. Give them dates and a person to contact should any issues arise.


4. Before you leave, tie up all loose ends, like paying important bills or putting an "Out of Office? reply in your email.

If you simply can?t tear yourself away, another solution is to compromise and do a little of both?the "work vacation.? It?s not the recommended way to take some time off, but sometimes you have to make sacrifices.

Here are some tips for making the "work vacation? work for you.

1. Set boundaries for what is work time and what is not work time. It can be specific days or specific times of day, whatever it is, make it specific. These boundaries are not only for you and your traveling companions to follow, they are also for your work associates to follow.


2. Check the cell phone coverage and Internet connection of the place you are traveling to. You don?t want to be stuck somewhere with nothing to accommodate for the lack of coverage or connectivity. If you know in advance that you?re not going to be able to use your phone or laptop, then make sure to bring with you other materials to work on. /li>
   
3. If you?re taking a family vacation, make sure all family members know ahead of time that you will be spending part of your time working. That way they won?t be surprised or feel slighted when they see you on your laptop or Blackberry.