Why Small Business Owners Need A Vacation

When you own your own business, it almost always seems counter intuitive to take time off to relax and unwind. Many experts believe that this leads to long term problems within small businesses because owners are over worked and over tired, Because of this, some business owners suffer from business burnout within their first five years of business ownership.

Breaks are Imperative

For many small business owners, taking a vacation seems less than possible. Not only do most feel that they can’t afford the time off, they also fear that something will go terribly wrong if they leave the office. While your business is obviously very important, it’s also important to remember that your well-being is of the utmost importance too. People who own businesses are motivated, otherwise they wouldn’t become successful business owners. That’s why many of these people would rather put their personal health and well-being on hold in order to better the company, but doing this can lead to discouraging mental and physical problems in the long run. Being stressed and overworked can lead to forgetfulness, if not complete meltdowns. Consider the effect of forgotten bill payments on your credit score, or a forgotten account and the effect it could have on your good reputation. You’ll likely start to see the benefits of a yearly vacation rather quickly.

Money Troubles

If your concern is either that you won’t be able to afford the vacation or that you will lose business while you’re away from your work, don’t worry, there are options for those struggling with income. First of all, your vacation should be something that you save for throughout the entire work year. Secondly, find one or two trustworthy employees that you can leave in charge. Write a list of things that need to be done, and accounts that may need attention. Ensure that your staff are equipped to handle bill payments that need to be made, invoices that need to be sent, and be sure to leave all your staff with the relevant tools to help them in serving clients and answering questions. By prioritizing and making your absence easier on your staff, you avoid dings in your credit score from missed payments as well as negative feedback from current customers in your absence.

Company Holidays

For some small business owners, it simply doesn’t make sense to let their business continue in their absence. In these cases it’s advisable to shut down the company for a week or two each year. Stop business for long enough to enjoy your time away; many small business owners take this time at Christmas or in the summer time when absences are often expected.
No matter what your holiday strategy is, make sure that you focus on fun while you’re away. And for goodness sake, leave your phone in the safe.