Unfortunately, entrepreneurs neglect to take time off of work because the myth plagues them that true success stems from always putting in the work. It’s a sad culture that many, particularly in the United States, have created as an unforgiving meritocracy. The thought that you will fail and be stripped of your business from the very place you’ve carved out in the market for taking time off is just wrong.
This way of thinking needs to stop, and for very good reasons. The Mayo Clinic refers to job burnout as a type of work-related stress that can be identified by physical or emotional exhaustion that also involves a feeling of reduced accomplishment, loss of identity, or cynicism towards work previously enjoyed.
Now, burnout itself isn’t technically a medical diagnosis. Still, even the Mayo Clinic recognizes this issue as credence to the idea that taking time away from work is key to protecting your health. Allowing yourself to step away, even if it’s just a few days here and there, allows your body and mind the opportunity to reset, decompress, and return to your duties with newfound vigor and appreciation for the business you’ve created.
Sadly, for a lot of entrepreneurs, the thought of putting work aside seems like an impossible dream. But the holidays are coming up, and if there’s not a time you deserve to step away more than now, you’ll be sure to hit a critical burnout level.
The good news is that you can do things to prepare your business for your absence. This will help keep things afloat while you’re gone and reduce your stress levels so you can enjoy yourself.
Analyze Your Business
The first step in preparing to take time off is properly analyzing your business, preferably with the help of someone you can trust. By getting an unbiased look at the day-to-day operations of your business, you’ll have an easier time determining the appropriate amount of time away you can take without issue. An excellent way to get this kind of information is by listing the tasks you complete daily, listing the things that can be done ahead of time, and creating a list of people you trust to handle the tasks you can’t take care of before leaving.
Set Up Systems/Implement Software
With the near-constant barrage of technical updates and breakthroughs, there’s no reason not to automate as much of your business as possible—whether you’re taking time off or not. In addition, paying for automated systems allows you to break your daily duties into easily digestible tasks you can have individual systems handle.
Hire Good People
Hiring employees that you can trust to run your business during your time away from work is paramount. However, many small business owners who don’t have the budget can still find a way to offer personal customer service while away. For example, having a Virtual Receptionist answer the phone while taking time off allows you to provide excellent customer service without having to hire someone to deal with customer relations on an as-needed basis.
One such resource that offers several cost-effective services that will help prepare your business for your eventual away time is a company called Alliance Virtual Offices. They help innovative businesses scale faster with a market-leading tech infrastructure. Whether it’s utilizing a Live Receptionist to help with phones, connecting with your team with a Virtual Phone, or even giving your business a physical address and an added air of legitimacy with a Virtual Office, Alliance Virtual Offices has the tools to help.
Conclusion:
You deserve to be with your loved ones this holiday season. So, start looking at what’s needed, and check out Alliance Virtual Offices to see how they can help you step away for a bit.
