As an online business owner, vacation is essential for recharging and maintaining a work-life balance. 

I’m so grateful to be at the cottage this summer, taking some time to do N-O-T-H-I-N-G!

For your mental and physical health, periodic breaks from thinking about your business are essential!

It will help refresh your creativity and energy.

Here are vacation tips specifically for online business owners:

#1 – Plan WHEN you take your break

Tip number one for entrepreneurs interested in vacation is planning ahead. When planning your time off, you aim to alleviate the workload pressure while on a break. You have a pattern when business slows down for you. Is it during the summer months or winter months?

For me, it’s a bit different since I do M&A transactions and can’t predict when a transaction will be completed. Nevertheless, I don’t take anything else during the summer (no course launch or new VIP client), allowing me to spend more time at the cottage.

#2 – Batch your work ahead of time

If you know weeks ahead that you will be taking time off, start batching tasks in preparation for your vacation. Try as much as possible to complete all asks to put your mind at ease while away AND to make it easier when you return.

Your goal here is to prepare for your return to avoid walking away and feeling behind on work.

#3 – Prepare a delegation plan

If you are lucky enough to have a team of consultants or employees, decide ahead of time what tasks you can skip or delegate to someone on your team.

Because we are launching a new VIP program in September, my team has tasks to go through during the next eight weeks,. Because I’ve planned these weeks, my team knows exactly what tasks must be completed while I’m on vacation.

#4 – Decide how connected you’ll be

Set your boundaries and decide how connected you’ll be! Here are some essential questions for you… Will you check your email once a day or once a week? Will you totally disconnect?

I love (need) to check in with my team every second day to confirm there are no issues, and this frees my head after my 5-10 minutes chat with them.

I set a friendly out-of-office email message, so clients understand they won’t get an answer from me until I return from vacation. I also remove work apps such as email, Asana, Slack, or Telegram while on vacation.

#5 – Let everyone know you be on vacation

Don’t be shy about discussing your upcoming vacation on Instagram or through your monthly newsletters. Give your customer a few weeks’ notice to ask any urgent questions before you go on leave.

Remember to set up out-of-office autoresponders for your emails, informing senders of your absence and providing alternative contact information for urgent matters. This helps manage expectations and directs people to the right channels.

Establish clear boundaries with your clients, customers, and team members regarding your availability and response times during your vacation.

Communicate these boundaries in advance to manage expectations.

#6 – Disconnect! 

Do N-O-T-H-I-N-G, BE on vacation. Time is short; make happy memories with the ones you love now. Trust your team to take care of the business, OR if you have no team, you will have the rest of the year to “catch up” when you get back.

Give yourself permission to let go! Use your vacation as an opportunity to reflect on your business, set new goals, and come back with fresh ideas and renewed energy.

Allow yourself to fully disconnect and recharge to return to work with a clear mind and increased motivation.

Remember, taking a vacation is essential for your well-being and overall productivity as a business owner. By planning, delegating responsibilities, setting boundaries, and using technology effectively, you can enjoy your vacation while ensuring your business operates smoothly.

Another tip… prepare for when you return from your vacation. I love to make a list for the first day back in the office and outline the priorities I will need to focus on. 

Ready to learn which strategies I use to scale my business during summertime? As a business owner looking to scale your business during the summer, there are several strategies you can employ to make the most of the season. 

HERE is my plan for the summer… !

Ready for your vacation?

I’d love to know where you are heading and how you plan to rest this summer.

xox