With the long school holidays fast approaching you might find yourself struggling to juggle the demands of running a business and giving your family the quality time they deserve. During these times it pays to plan ahead and set some boundaries to ensure it’s business as usual but enabling us to have a much needed break too.
Plan and Prioritise
Come on, it shouldn’t be a surprise that they are nearly here, the kids have been asking for the past 2 months! ……. it is probably wise to set some priorities now if you haven’t already, to achieve everything you need. Perhaps discuss your priorities with family members (spouse/children) too to ensure expectations of family life and commitments are managed effectively. It means you can plan to manage your business around other arrangements in the diary. It helps to keep a time log in the weeks leading up to the summer holidays so you have a realistic expectation of how long certain unavoidable business and home tasks will take you so you can plan your time accordingly.
Limit Work Hours
This is difficult especially as some business tasks need completing daily or weekly to ensure a smooth operation. This may include staff scheduling, reporting, product dispatch, service maintenance, social media or project management. You may be able to be complete many of these tasks in advance and schedule them to be emailed/posted automatically. If working during the holidays is unavoidable then try to separate work time from personal time and agree this with the family. Put aside an hour or two at the beginning and/or end of the day when you won’t be disturbed and use this time effectively for urgent business operations. Set your out of office and let employees/colleagues know that you won’t be contactable 24/7 and will respond in due course. Don’t be afraid to switch off and GIVE YOUR PHONE & EMAIL A HOLIDAY TOO!!!
Get Outside
There is no better feeling than exerting some energy and getting the endorphins flowing to make you feel more relaxed and enjoy your time off regardless of whether exercise comes high on your list of priorities. In good weather there aren’t many people who wouldn’t benefit from long walk or cycle with family or friends as an opportunity to unwind. If you are heading to a sun destination then swimming is likely to be on the agenda but even if you are planning a staycation then use the opportunity to explore the local area or get out of the city into the country side for some fresh air.
Get Help
Many business owners come to the end of the “holiday” and feel ready for another break as too much time and energy has been taken up with running the business or running errands. Sound familiar? If you can afford it will benefit both yourself and your family to outsource some of these tasks – remember there are other small businesses that would benefit from your custom. This may be gardening, decorating, domestic chores, or more importantly a virtual business support with a virtual assistant to keep your business running smoothly in your absence. Remember to plan this in advance for an effective handover and successful holiday season.
If you would like help running your business over the holidays, don’t hesitate to contact us on info@adigitalme.co.uk. We’d be happy to have a chat to see how we can help.
HAPPY HOLIDAYS!!!
from the aDigitalMe Team!