Cindy J. Drake Business Coaching

How to have a holiday and plan to come back to a better business

It's not just possible, it's best practice!

Business owners who take breaks run more successful businesses than those who don’t.

Taking a break helps refresh your body and mind, putting you in the right headspace to make the kind of decisions that will grow your business.

And having a break is healthy even if you don’t go anywhere. Simply staying at home and forgetting about your business for even a few days will do wonders for your physical and mental health.

As we reach the end of what has become another challenging year and look to the relative certainty of 2022, taking some time off over the holidays will help you come back in top form.

But you only realise the full benefits of time off if you stop making yourself available to your business while you’re away.

That might be a scary thought for the 76% of business owners that go without holiday breaks to make sure their business continues to run smoothly,

I know, there are many moving parts in your business, and you have to make sure they stay that way.

But I’ve helped business owners do just that: enjoy a holiday with their family and completely forget about their business for a few weeks, and come back to a business that’s BETTER than the one they left!

And it helps to plan your holiday a few months in advance. Start thinking about what needs to happen in your business while you are gone, and create a plan ahead of time, so everyone in your business knows their role in keeping everything ticking over.

Plan your finances

Part of keeping your business running smoothly is ensuring you, the owner, get paid.

Unfortunately, the way many small businesses work means that if you aren’t working, you aren’t getting paid. That becomes a major roadblock, as business owners tend to view taking time off as losing money.

Even if you aren’t planning to take any time off over Christmas (and I hope that’s because you’re planning your holiday for another time!), preparing as if you were will have immense benefits to your business.

Think of it this way…

Imagine if your business HAD to close over the holidays. However, you still had to ensure your business met all its financial obligations (including its obligations to you!) during that time.

When you think about how you would respond in this situation, you need to change how you feel about taking a break from your business. It’s no longer an option; it’s a non-negotiable. And in planning for a holiday with this mindset, you’ll find yourself with a reason to take a break, rather than reasons not to have one.

To make sure your business continues to tick over while you’re on a break, you need to start putting money aside. That way, you can pay yourself, your team, suppliers and creditors even without any new business over the holidays.

And doing so is easier than you think. For some tips on putting money aside that you can put into practice right away, read my blog on putting profit first.

Implement client retention strategies

“What if my clients need me while I’m gone?”

It’s this thought that keeps business owners up at night. Being at the mercy of your clients will mean you make yourself available while on holiday or not take one at all. 

But if you have successful client retention strategies in place, your clients know they are in good hands with you, even if they have to wait for you to come back.

But retention strategies are long-term strategies, so you need to set them up and make sure they work well before you go on holiday.

How to keep your clients: the top six retention strategies every business should use

Map out your holiday plan

When you’re planning to take a break, you need to make sure you know what all your stakeholders will be doing while you’re gone well ahead of time.

Because If you leave this planning to the last minute, you run the risk of being so overwhelmed that it just seems easier to stay and handle things yourself.

If your staff are planning to take some time off (as they should!) at the end of the year, make sure you know so that you can look for some temporary staff to fill in for them if needed (because you’ll be away too, so it won’t be you doing it!).

Make sure you check in with your suppliers, so you know when they are available. That way, you can make sure you have enough stock and inventory to get you through the holidays – Planning ahead of time if you need to.

How planning for a holiday built this plumber a better business

A plumber I worked with hadn’t had a proper holiday since they opened their business.

He tried, but he felt the need to make himself available to his team and clients 24/7. And it drove his family mad!

He wanted Christmas 2020 to be different. After the year that was, the last thing he needed was another working holiday.

During October of that year, we worked together to plan a proper holiday.

The first thing we did was build and train his team. Soon enough, he could fully trust his team to get the work done to his high standard without overseeing it. We brought on a more diverse array of clients so that work would be more steady over the Christmas period.

And for the first time, he started saving cash in the bank.

The planning was a success. My client enjoyed every minute of his holiday and returned refreshed and ready to take his business to the next phase of growth in 2021.

This year, he’s planning to do it all over again.

The only planning you should be doing weeks out from your holiday is what you’re going to do while you’re away!

If you prepare your business for your break well ahead of time, you can enjoy it with no stress because you know your business will be running smoothly without you.

Are you thinking about taking a break at the end of the year? This is the month to start planning your break. Together we can help you plan to make sure your well-deserved break doesn’t impact your business.

Get in contact with me, and let’s work together to build you a better business – One that lets you take holidays when you want!

Talk with Cindy

If you would like to get your time back and start working on the important task of growing your business and reaching your long term business goals, book a chat or call me today
0427 214 502
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