{"id":985,"date":"2022-11-02T11:50:18","date_gmt":"2022-11-02T00:50:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/yellow.sensis.wpengine.com\/?post_type=hub&p=985"},"modified":"2025-04-04T19:54:55","modified_gmt":"2025-04-04T08:54:55","slug":"self-care-for-small-business-how-to-take-a-holiday-when-youre-the-boss","status":"publish","type":"hub","link":"https:\/\/www.yellow.com.au\/business-hub\/small-business\/self-care-for-small-business-how-to-take-a-holiday-when-youre-the-boss\/","title":{"rendered":"How to take a holiday when you’re the boss."},"content":{"rendered":"

There are many benefits to owning a small business \u2013 but holiday time typically isn\u2019t one of them.<\/p>\n

When you\u2019re responsible for making sure emails are answered, deadlines are met and queries are dealt with swiftly, it doesn\u2019t leave much time to head away for a full weekend, let alone a real break.<\/p>\n

That said, work-life balance is key to staying well, especially when you\u2019re usually going at a million miles an hour. Here\u2019s how to have a holiday and relax, knowing your business is taken care of.<\/p>\n

Give plenty of notice.<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Your customers, suppliers and other stakeholders don\u2019t expect you to work 365 days a year \u2013 provided you give them as much notice as possible about upcoming breaks. This will let them make their own plans, such as ordering ahead, finding an alternate supplier for that time or working to the holiday schedule<\/a> you\u2019ve set.<\/p>\n

Add an auto-reply to your email about your break and when you\u2019ll be back, as well as contact information for a staff member for urgent inquiries. If the business will be running differently while you\u2019re away, make a note on your website, social media channels and business directory listings<\/a> to ensure everybody knows when you\u2019ll be back, refreshed and ready to work.<\/p>\n

Take a holiday during your quiet period.<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Most businesses experience peaks and troughs throughout the year. Pick one of your slow times to take a break. This reduces the pressure of getting ahead before you leave or catching up when you get back. You\u2019ll also minimise the number of potential lost sales that come with taking time off.<\/p>\n

Train your employees throughout the year.<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Even if you\u2019re not currently planning a holiday, start to make a habit of training your employees throughout the year on tasks that you usually take care of. This way, when you do go away, they\u2019ll already have some experience in looking after the basic aspects of your role and keeping the business ticking along.<\/p>\n

If your team doesn\u2019t have the manpower or the skills to cover your position, consider hiring a contractor or temp worker who can be trained to cover the essentials in your absence.<\/p>\n

Plan for business check-ins.<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Switching off is important, but realistically, you\u2019ll probably be tempted to check in on your business while you\u2019re away. Instead of feeling guilty and fretting over it, plan quick set times to check emails and deal with urgent requests only.<\/p>\n

For example, you could set aside 45 minutes every other morning to check on the business and delegate vital tasks, then close the tab and get back to enjoying your break.<\/p>\n

Set your marketing on auto-pilot.<\/strong><\/h2>\n

You don\u2019t have to give up your marketing efforts just because you\u2019re not at your desk. Thanks to the power of technology, you can schedule a lot of your marketing elements in advance and use \u2018set and forget\u2019 automation tools while you\u2019re away. Here\u2019s how to get started:<\/p>\n