Why a Summer Vacation is Great for Your Business
You're an entrepreneur. You're busy. When was the last time you took time off from your business? I'm talking more than an afternoon or a weekend here or there.
Do you even remember the last time?
Way too many business owners can't remember the last time they unplugged from their businesses. If this is you, you're long overdue for a break!
Summer is a great opportunity to take time off. The weather's great, kids are out of school, and honestly, a lot of people (aka potential customers) take vacations during the summer. Many online businesses see a dip during the summer months, so it might be a good time for you to take a break if the summer tends to be slower for you.
Unless, of course, your business is all about selling homemade organic sunscreen or bedazzled bikinis.
Here are just a few reasons to take time off:
Refresh your mind and body.
You've probably been working hard all year. You want that mental energy to last, right? You need to recharge sometime because you can't do your best work if you're brain dead and burned out.
So take some time off to read an entire novel. Go on a trip. Sleep in. Go hiking and get some sunshine. Let your mind and body rest so you can come back to your business with energy!
Business might be slower anyway.
In the summer, potential clients might be spending time with their kids, relaxing, or otherwise be busy with summer fun and possibly not ready to invest in your services. Of course, this isn't the case for every business, but I've seen this happen in my own business and in my clients' businesses as well.
If summers are slower for you, now might not be the time to work hard on marketing your products and services.
Instead, consider working with clients and customers when they're there, and use the slow season to recharge for the fall when that “back to school” vibe has everyone motivated and in the mood to buy products and services that will improve their lives.
Time to re-strategize.
If you don't want to completely take time off, summer can also be a great time for planning and tackling those projects you've been meaning to get to during the rest of the year. Have you been meaning to write an ebook, outline a new course, or just brainstorm and dream about the next evolution of your business? Summer is an awesome time to do that.
Radical idea: Take a summer vacation in your business this year to plan, strategize, and recharge to come back stronger than ever! Click To Tweet
Make room for new ideas.
Nobody likes the feeling of being stuck in an office chair, staring at your computer screen and willing inspiration to come…but nothing happens. This happens to me sometimes, and I find the best way to get the creativity moving is to get up and do something else for a few minutes.
This works on an even bigger scale when you take some time away from your business to do something else. It's like resetting your mind so you can look at challenges differently and see ideas and opportunities you might have missed when you were neck-deep in work.
Taking time off makes room for new ideas, and that's how businesses evolve. Give yourself to time and space for inspiration!
Get back to what is really important to you so you can structure your business accordingly.
Sometimes when we're in hustle mode, we get so wrapped up in business goals and bottom lines that we often forget why we started our businesses in the first place.
Maybe you wanted to work from home so you could have the flexibility to travel or spend more time with your kids.
Here's the big question: Does your business actually allow you to do those things? Taking a step back can help you get a clear look at your business and your goals so you can see where you need to make adjustments.
You might have a lot of resistance to taking time off, but trust me, sometimes it's one of the best things you can do for your business and your sanity.
Even if it's just a few days, take some downtime to rest and reassess. Take even longer if you can swing it, or take some time to switch gears and create something awesome for your business.
Now I'm going to say one more thing about taking time off: One of the best ways to make this possible is to outsource tasks in your business. It's a lot harder to take time off if you're doing everything, so let someone else handle it so you can have more space to step back and take a break.
Does this sound amazing? Let's talk about how I can help you make this possible.