Going on vacation is so relaxing and fun, right? However, as a small business owner, you still need to pack and do tasks that will keep your business running before you leave. I read an article that said small business owners should take at least 4 weeks per year, a week at a time (once a quarter). But, how will you pull that off, you may be wondering. You need processes that let you leave without your business stopping.
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Things to do Before Going on Holiday From Your Small Business
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After you schedule that vacation, it is time to get ready to go. But wait, what about business tasks? Add a few things to your week before you go on vacation so you don’t overwhelm yourself. You can even spread it out over a few weeks if you want. You can do these tasks during your off-hours, like Sunday afternoons, so they don’t affect what you need to do at work.
Make a list of tasks to complete before you go on vacation.
The week before, write up a list of tasks to do each day leading up to the day you leave. Add the days of the week at the top of the spreadsheet, leading up to your vacation. Then, jot down the tasks you want to do to get them off your mind and onto paper, where they’re less likely to be forgotten. If you blog, be sure to write those blog posts ahead of time. Feel free to use the image below to help manage your time. If you create this once and save it on your computer, you can easily use it again for future trips. Great, right?
I like to go backward and start from the day before I leave. Suppose I have to back up portable drives or back up my computer to my server. Or, I have to lock up my filing cabinet (affiliate) and laptops (affiliate)—it would all happen the day before.
Some tasks you may want to add to the list are:
- Clean off desk (affiliate)
- Hold postal mail
- Confirm your emails work on your mobile device
- Print or write out your paper planner pages for two weeks if you have a planner – the week of vacation and the week after.
- Gather your headsets
- Gather your luggage
- Pack bags (luggage and carry-on)
- Bring together your clothing, shoes, etc..
Try to predict how much time you plan on doing work on vacation.
Let’s face it: as business owners, we tend not to be too far away mentally from our business when we go away. Set a realistic time and day to work, and tell your family you will be unavailable during those times. For example, you could check your emails in the morning and before bed.
Some tasks you may want to do on vacation are:
- check email
- review bank account
- read some ebooks for your industry
- do some research for future projects
Prepare your Social media posts.
A social media management service or places like Meta Business Suite will help you manage your posts. LinkedIn also has a scheduler.
Tailwind, Hootsuite, and Meta Business Suite will suggest what to post and which holidays are coming up while you are away. This way, your site doesn’t look inactive while you are on vacation.
I recommend posting at least once daily for at least two weeks—the week you are away and the week after—so you are not behind when you return.
Things you can share on social media posts while you are away are:
- services you offer
- products you offer
- sharing new/old content from your blog
- holiday greetings
You don’t need to do anything that involves questions, since you will not necessarily be online as much.
Make sure your Business Quicken or QuickBooks is up to date.
Lastly, check that everything is up to date in your money management software. This includes tasks like depositing all outstanding checks and reconciling bank accounts. Add all your checks and transactions to the register. Doing this task before you leave lets you know precisely what is out there and what has cleared, giving you peace of mind.
You can also download the app on your mobile device to access it easily while traveling.
By doing these tasks, you will be well on your way to relaxing on your vacation. I hope you have a relaxing time.
If you want more information about going on vacation, see the additional posts below.
7 Easy Tasks before going on a mini-vacation
6 Reasons You Need To Go On Vacation This Summer
How to combat procrastination in the summer for your small business
Please note these are affiliate links through Amazon (affiliate), and at no additional cost, I will earn affiliate fees if you decide to make a purchase.
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This was really helpful, Sabrina – especially the printout! Should make preparing for my next trip a bit easier!