I once heard a longtime small-business owner say, “nothing like working 80 hours for yourself so that you can avoid working 40 hours for someone else.” It is true that often, as a small business owner, there are long nights and hard days!
Here at Lauren Hale CPA, we definitely believe that hard work pays off, but you should also be able to take time off from work to rest, relax, and enjoy the family you are working so hard to provide for.
You may ask, but how do you do that from a financial standpoint? What if the goods or services that your business sells to make money, directly rely on you being present and working? Or maybe you have a great staff, but taking time off of work is still a hit to your bottom line.
Here Are 7 Tips to Help You Plan for Time Off Without Going Bankrupt
1. Plan Ahead to Vacation During a Slower Time of the Year
Good planning and timing will make all the difference in how restful your time away from the business is. While we probably all wish that every season in business was busy and highly profitable, the reality is that you probably have some slow months, and that is okay! Instead of beating your head against the wall during those slower months, take advantage of them and plan for some much needed R & R!
2. Squirrel Away Extra Profit
Ok, so “squirrel away” isn’t the technical financial term, but I bet it got your attention and made you nod your head or at least smile. If you can estimate how much time off will cost you and save that, plus a little extra for the actual vacation, then you can take time off without worrying about where the money is coming from. And, if your time off doesn’t actually end up costing you as much as you estimated, bonus!
Of course, “squirreling away” extra profit only works if you actually know what your numbers are telling you. If your bookkeeping isn’t giving you a clear, real-time picture of what you can safely set aside, that’s a sign it might be time for better bookkeeping and tax planning help.
3. Get Ahead on Any Marketing Content
It is no secret that marketing is part of growing and running a business. If your content marketing is not already outsourced to a trusted content marketing agency, then get ahead on content for your time off. If you don’t have a trusted content marketing partner, we’re happy to make a personal introduction.
We’ve worked with a content marketing agency for over a year now, and the batching and scheduling alone has been worth it. Having content batched, uploaded, and scheduled to post will take a load of stress off!
Bonus tip: try to get ahead an extra week so that your post-vacation re-entrance into real life is just a touch easier.
4. Work Longer Hours Before and After Vacation
Depending on your business, there may still be work that has to be done and cannot be skipped for a two-week vacation.
As you well know, this may look like stacking extra clients in before and after vacation to get everyone taken care of.
However, on the plus side, if you do this proactively, it is far less stressful, AND you don’t take a hit to your bottom line.
5. Let Your Clients & Customers Know You’ll Be on Vacation
With the increased awareness of mental health and work-life balance, most people are more forgiving of their favorite small businesses taking time off. Sure, it’s a little sad to not be able to pop into your favorite boutique or coffee shop, or call your favorite accountant with a quick question.
However, when they know that you are taking time off to spend with your family, they might actually become even MORE loyal customers! They know that you’ll be in business for the long haul and not burnt out and done in 2 years.
Bonus tip: Start integrating family-life balance, work-life balance, or mental health tips into your content. Not only will it benefit your people, but it will make it seem much more relatable and intentional when you do take time off.
6. Shine Up Existing Systems (Or Set Up Systems If You Don’t Have Any in Place)
Are there some systems in your business that are a little TOO reliant on you? Are there things that you could easily create an SOP (Standard Operating Procedure) for, but you just haven’t?
These days with tools like Loom and AI, it is so ridiculously easy to create a great SOP that it’s silly not to. Sure, it will take some time to film the process or create the SOP, but then it is a task you can hand off, knowing the instructions are there to do it right!
7. Let Your Staff Know Ahead of Time So They Can Be Prepared for Extra Work
Hopefully, you have already created a culture that values work-life balance and quality time with your family.
(If not, it’s never too late to start). If you already have that culture in place and it’s part of your mission, your conversations, and your yearly planning, then telling your staff, “I’m taking a vacation on these dates,” won’t come as a shock.
On the off chance that prioritizing time off and time with family is not something that you regularly discuss with your team, then frame the “I’m going on vacation on these dates” conversation from that perspective.
Most great employees want their bosses to be happy and healthy, if for no other reason than because it makes their life and day easier!
Rest Easy: Your Financial Game Plan for Time Off
At the end of the day, running a business that supports your life, instead of consuming it, is the whole point. You didn’t start this business so you could be chained to it every single day of the year with no break in sight.
You started it so it could give your family and yourself a better life, more freedom, and yes, actual vacations where you’re not mentally running numbers from the beach.
With a little advance planning, you can step away knowing: your bottom line is taken care of, your clients are informed, your staff is prepared, your content is scheduled, and your finances have some breathing room built in.
That means you get to be fully present on that trip, the version of you that isn’t checking email from the pool or doing math in your head while you’re supposed to be building sandcastles.
You don’t have to implement all seven of these tips before your next vacation. Pick one or two that feel most doable right now and start there.
Small, intentional steps toward rest are still steps in the right direction. Most importantly, your business and your family will thank you for taking them.
If you’re ready to build in that financial breathing room with a clearer picture of your numbers, we’d love to help! Schedule a chat here.
