The ABC’s of Business Basics Series: B is for Break
“I need a vacation.” As a business owner, how many times a month do you say that? Have you noticed that lately you are saying it more often?
So, what is stopping you from taking one?
Do any of these excuses sound familiar:
- I don’t have any good staff.
- I don’t have anyone to take over.
- I’m way too busy to take time off now.
- It’s bad timing.
- I can’t afford it.
- 7 days (or 10, or 14 etc.) is too long.
- I’ll lose business if I go away.
- My competition may get ahead of me.
If they do, take this next statement, write it out and put it on your bathroom mirror:
“I can’t afford to not take a break!”
Let me tell you why:
Breaks from our business give us fresh perspective, renewed energy, precious time with our loved ones and best of all, a clear head. Business owners who take regular breaks are better leaders. They are macro managers who inspire and excite.
They see the business from the top of the mountain looking down, rather than from the bottom looking up. The vision remains clear and the love of work stays true.
Here are 7 tips on how to plan for your next break:
- Breaks don’t have to be long time frames
Take small steps and begin by scheduling short breaks. If you’re not doing it already, take a weekend off every month. Consider taking 6 three-day weekends a year. The important thing is to book them out. - It’s never good timing
Business has low times, high times and even higher times. You just have to work through it. If you’re a parent, you can probably compare it to your decision to have children. The timing was never right. When you become a parent, you adapted and they made your world a better place. - Train your customers to work with your schedules and boundaries
Apply structure to your hours of operation and your customer response times with email and phone. Let them know when your business is open and closed.Do not respond to emails on the nights you have insomnia or up with nothing to do. If you don’t provide boundaries, they may come to expect responses during your personal time. - Find good people
Finding your business support can be a challenge, but it can be done. Create job descriptions for both your staff and contractors. Hold them responsible for expectations and outcomes.Teach them what you know and value and hold regular reviews to keep them accountable. - Let go of control!
This is the biggest barrier to walking away from any business. Business owners who don’t trust, don’t take breaks. So take trust in yourself that you have set the proper foundation to vacate for a short time. - Believe that they can do the job better than you
You won’t find this out until you take a break. By giving your employees the opportunity to rise to the occasion, they may surprise you and demonstrate that they are capable of even more responsibility. - Review upon return
Spend time reviewing what worked and what didn’t. Exam the deficiencies and make a plan for improvement. Be sure and include the people who can help you implement change.
Do yourself a favour; schedule your break today!
Do you have a hard time taking a break from business? What are your reasons and after reading this article, can you see yourself taking breaks more often now?
About the Author, Pamela Chatry
Do you work too hard? Is your business in chaos? If you are struggling with business issues, contact Pamela Chatry for a complimentary assessment. Pamela has been a trusted and highly respected Business Consultant, Mentor for Women in Business, Self-Employment Advocate, Trainer and Keynote Speaker for over 25 years.
Visit www.pamelachatry.com or call her at 778-856-8970 for help in getting your business to its fullest potential.
