Business owners are notorious for being bad at taking vacations. In fact, one survey found that only about 33% plan on taking time off this summer. And in reality, that’s bad news.
Vacations are not only good for mental health, but they're good for the business’s employees and the relationships a business owner has, too.
In this post, we’ll look at reasons you should take time off this summer and enjoy a vacation away from your business.
1. Brainstorm New Ideas
When you’re stuck in the daily grind, it can be easy to sink down into the details of day-to-day business. But if you don’t look up, you can easily let months (even years) slip by without realizing it. Time flies when you’ve got your head down and you’re working hard.
Taking a vacation from your business allows you to get out of daily processes, and to free up your mind so you can think about new ideas instead. It's scheduled time in your hectic business life to stop, take a breather, and allow your mind to expand.
2. Enjoy the Benefits of Your Hard Work
Being a business owner comes with some serious perks — like a flexible schedule, opportunities to grow profits, and, well, being able to call the shots. But so many business owners forget that they can, indeed, take time off for a vacation and actually enjoy those perks.
Taking a vacation means that you're blocking out time to actually enjoy yourself and your life as a business owner. Allowing yourself to do this keeps you from being resentful and burnt out. If all you do is work, at some point, you’re going to think, “Why am I doing this anymore?”
Vacationing is a helpful reminder that your hard work is all for a good reason.
3. Improve Productivity Upon Return
Some data shows that vacations help business owners maintain a happy, healthy outlook on life — which in turn, boosts productivity by as much 31% upon returning home. Vacations are directly connected with a happy, more satisfying life — so why deprive yourself of those positive side effects?
Try to schedule at least one vacation per year, and when you’re away, shut yourself off from daily business-related thoughts. You might have some ideas on the backburner of your brain, but for the most part, this should be a time for you to disconnect and recharge your mental batteries.
4. Show Your Team You Trust Them
Taking a vacation also shows your team that you trust their skills and abilities while you’re out of the office. If you’ve trained them well, stepping away for a few days should be no problem — and for your staff, it’s a chance for them to demonstrate to you that they have everything under control.
Let your employees prove that they can manage without you for a few days, and show them that you trust them, too.
A Note on Setting Boundaries:
While you’re away, make sure you have clear boundaries in place that allow you to actually enjoy your vacation. Let your team know what qualifies as a reason to get in touch with you, and whether or not you’ll have access to email. Establish some protocol in case of certain emergencies and you can’t be reached — and put a “second in command” in charge while you’re away.
Doing this will help your team work together instead of against each other, and is an opportunity for someone to demonstrate their leadership abilities, too.
Take a Vacation from Your Business
The perks listed here are just the tip of the iceberg. The bottom line is that you need to take some time off this summer with a real vacation. Don’t let the warm weather fly by without taking a moment to enjoy it (and to enjoy the perks of your business owner title).
