Summer Holidays Survival Guide – Everything You Need In Your Arsenal As A Business Owner
Ah, summer holidays – the time for sun, cold beers and relaxation… Or, for a lot of business owners, it’s sorting holiday cover, quiet periods and the children being off school.
But it’s okay. This summer is going to be different. This summer, you’re going to enjoy yourself, your business is going to be successful and you WILL get that cold drink of choice in the sun.
As business owners, managers and parents here at ChadStone, we have put together our own Summer Holidays Survival Guide. We’ve put together everything you need in your arsenal to not only survive the summer holidays, but enjoy them!
Summer Holidays Survival Guide – Everything You Need In Your Arsenal As A Business Owner
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A pin 📌
During the summer, business can slow down a bit and that’s okay. Everyone is trying to juggle everything and so it’s going to impact things.
The pin is in your arsenal to release the pressure you are putting on yourself to keep running at a million miles an hour.
Instead, shift your mindset. If things are a bit quieter, embrace it and use it to:
- Get on top of the tasks that always get put to the side but linger in the back of your mind.
- Prepare for when it picks up to make your life easier.
- Embrace the quieter period and take this opportunity to recharge.
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Permission to delegate👌
If you are lucky enough to have a team, trust and empower them to be exactly that – Your team. They’ve got your back. You hired them for a reason so let them do what they are more than capable of and free yourself up. Use that free time to take a holiday, catch up on work or both.
If you work by yourself, you can still have a team to support you. Reach out to freelancers, a VA or service providers to support you where you need it.
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Software 🖥️
Summer is the perfect time to automate repetitive tasks and streamline your processes. From social media scheduling to email automation, embrace the power of technology to take things off your plate.
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An ‘Out Of Office’👋
Set clear boundaries by scheduling specific times to check and respond to emails. Consider setting up an auto-reply with a touch of humour, letting people know you’re enjoying some Vitamin D and will get back to them soon. Remember, you’re in control of your inbox, not the other way around.
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Time off (Actually off!)☀️
Yes, we said it. Take an actual break!
Schedule some time off, unplug and enjoy the summer holidays guilt-free. Trust us, your business will survive, and you’ll return with a fresh perspective and renewed energy. Remember, even the most successful business owners need to recharge their batteries.
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An ‘Is what it is’ mentality 👍
The summer holidays also mean the kids are at home. As parents ourselves, we totally get the carnage that comes with this!
What we must remember as business owners are two things:
- If you have children, so do a lot of other business owners so you aren’t alone in trying to survive and juggle everything. People understand and are right there with you.
- If you don’t have children, a lot of other business owners do so you can take the pressure off yourself if things are slower than usual. It’s 6 weeks of chaos and then business will resume as normal.
If you do have children, here are some tips we’ve found helpful when trying to juggle parent guilt and business owner guilt:
– Create a Child-Friendly Work Area 🤖
Set up a designated workspace where your little ones can be like you. Provide them with colouring books, crayons, and mini laptops (or toy tills) so they can join in on the fun.
– Plan Fun Activities ⚽
Take breaks throughout the day to engage in fun activities with your children. Whether it’s a water balloon fight, a picnic or a walk, these moments will create lasting memories and give you a chance to recharge before diving back into work.
– Involve your children in your business ☎️
Teach your children about your business and let them be part of it. Give them small tasks like designing a new logo, brainstorming ideas, or even helping with simple administrative tasks. Who knows, they might come up with something you haven’t even thought of!
– Set boundaries and feel no guilt 🙅♂️
If you’re working, do so with minimal interruption and guilt-free. You can’t spend the entire summer holidays with them and that’s okay.
Equally, if you’re parenting, do so with minimal interruption and guilt-free. Your business will be okay and that email can wait until tomorrow.
Remember, having the kids at home during the summer holidays can be both a blessing and a challenge…
Embrace the joy, laughter, and occasional meltdowns, and use it as an opportunity for family time. One major bonus of being a business owner is the flexibility that allows you to create meaningful memories with your family, while still managing to get work done.
There you have it – Summer Holidays Survival Guide – Everything You Need In Your Arsenal As A Business Owner
We hope this helps you have an awesome summer. Remember that you deserve to enjoy it – Your business and team are more resilient than you think and being a parent and a business owner is hard. You deserve an ice-cold drink in the sun, guilt-free 🍻
We’re also here all summer if you need us. We are all on holiday at some point because #boundaries but there will always be some of us in the office.
Happy summer!
In the meantime, here’s something to help…👇
- Get the latest finance tips, business hacks, free resources, hilarity, memes and more by joining our monthly newsletter, ‘Sumthing To Say’ here.
Take it easy.
Al and Led
