Tired of going on vacation only to feel like you haven’t actually left your business? 

We’ve all been there. You finally take that much-needed vacation, only to experience constant interruptions from staff or clients. 

Which is SO frustrating because the whole point of being on vacation is to be able to leave your business behind.

And, taking time off is important. Getting away from your business prevents burnout and inspires new directions to take your business or new initiatives you can adopt.

The good news is that owning a small business doesn’t have to prevent you from taking a vacation and enjoying time away from your small business. 

Six Strategies To Help You Get Away, Uninterrupted. 

Schedule it! One of my very first steps is to schedule my vacations and downtime when quarterly or yearly planning. I know that if I don’t pencil it in, it’s not likely to happen. It gives me that sense of excitement,...

When was the last time you took a vacation? Not a day off or a getaway weekend, but an extended time away from your business?

Is it hard to remember or a distant memory? 

You're not alone. 

The number one sacrifice small business owners make each year is not taking a vacation. 

More than half (60%) only take one vacation per year; nearly one quarter (23%) take fewer than two vacation days annually. 

When they do go on vacation, more than 75% still work. 

No wonder small business owners are burning out. 

Time for rest, recuperation, and pleasure isn't on the calendar.

The first question I ask when starting the annual planning process with a client is: 

“What vacations or time off do you have planned for your year?” 

If it’s a new client, I am usually met with wide eyes and silence, followed by the myriad of reasons why time away hasn’t been a priority. 

My seasoned clients know that in order...

I will joyfully admit, I am one of the nerdy folks who gets unusually excited about planning.

I love, love, love to plan. Crafting a well-defined map of how I am going to get from A to Z (with all the roads in between), is incredibly inspiring, and lights me up in ways I can’t even describe. 

I know not everyone feels this way, but more often than not, I find my clients leaning into my enthusiasm for planning.

What's important for all of us to remember, however, is that even the best-laid plans are subject to change. 

I think it's the nature of life and business. 

So, what are we to do when life gets in the way and our plans get derailed? 

My recent experience with the month-long flu was a good reminder of how we can experience a big interruption or setback, and still achieve or make progress toward our goals. 

I was excited to finish the year strong and had my Q4 plans dialed in. I was particularly excited as this quarter's...

Confession time…

I used to be one of those people who would constantly complain about being “SO busy”.  I had dozens of excuses about why there wasn’t enough time to: work out, spend more time with my husband or girlfriends, take time off, make healthy meals for myself, etc. All the activities that I really wanted to be doing, but convinced myself that there wasn’t the “time to make it happen”. 

I know many of you can relate. 

And, truth be told, I was completely guilty of prioritizing “busy work”. I would fill up my days and weeks with low-value activities, instead of the things that actually create more freedom in my business or joy in my personal life. 

For me, I could easily waste a good 2 - 3 hours of my day (both work & at home) by: