As an entrepreneur, you’ve got a lot on your plate. It doesn’t matter if you’re just getting started or your venture is well-established. The type of work may change, but the amount of work never seems to let up!
Most days, it’s really rewarding, but even if you’re passionate about what you do, you still need a break every now and then. Getting time to relax and destress can mean returning to work with new, fresh ideas and a renewed vigor to work hard.
Unfortunately, taking a break and going on vacation can seem like a far-off pipe dream. Make getting away from it all a priority by following these tips.
Take a Short Vacation Instead of a Long One
You may be dreaming of traveling through Europe, but as an entrepreneur, that just isn’t a possibility. That’s just too long to be away from your job, but that doesn’t mean you can’t take a shorter vacation.
Take a week to recharge by flying to a beach in Florida. If a week is still too long, consider a weekend in a Nashville hotel and catch a show. Just because your vacation isn’t long and drawn out doesn’t mean it can’t provide you with a chance to get away from it all. Even a day or two is better than no time away at all!
Know When to Go on Vacation
Whether you want to plan a long or a short vacation, you should think carefully about when you plan that trip. As an entrepreneur, it may seem like there is never a good time, but some times are better than others.
The best time to take a vacation is during a time when work predictably slows down. For example, if you’re in landscaping, taking a trip in the winter is a better idea than in the summer.
You also have to consider your employees. If everyone wants to take off time during the summer, it’s probably not a good idea to take time off too, whether things are busy at your company or not.
Don’t Leave Anything Unfinished Before You Go
It will probably be hard to focus before you leave on vacation, and it’s totally normal to want to drop everything you’re doing on Friday and leave the office a little early. However, it’s a much better idea to make sure you don’t leave anything unfinished before you go.
You shouldn’t stay until the wee hours of the morning on Saturday trying to get everything done either! You should spend the week getting ahead. A few tips include:
- Giving clients and coworkers advance notice that you’ll be away.
- Don’t take on any new work or projects the week before your vacation.
- Focus on completing projects you’ll know you’ll worry about if left unfinished before you leave.
- Plan for one person to take notes and act as your catch-up when you return.
Stay Away from Technology
It’s extremely tempting to answer your emails when you’re on vacation. All you have to do is bring along your computer and you can make sure everything is going smoothly back home. However, that doesn’t mean you should answer your emails.
The whole point of planning a vacation is to get away from the office! Checking your emails means you’re essentially working remotely. Not to mention, email is like a black hole—once you get started, you can’t stop!
Make things easy on yourself and create an away message for emails that are sent while you’re gone. Direct emailers to someone else they can contact in case of an emergency. That way, you don’t have to check your email at all.
Plan a Day After Your Vacation to Catch Up
The first day back at work after a vacation can be overwhelming. There are many ways to get back into the workplace groove, but one of the best is planning a buffer day between when you return from vacation and when you go back to the office.
The day can be spent catching up on your emails, getting things organized for the next day, and planning what you’re going to tackle first. Not to mention, it gives you a chance to catch up on laundry and other things around the house before going back to work too!
Just because you’re an entrepreneur doesn’t mean you should work 24/7/365. You deserve a break too, and with the tips on this list, you can make sure you make the most of your vacation.
