If you’re a small business owner or entrepreneur, it can be difficult to justify taking time off. Owning a small company means that your list of responsibilities is endless, and without you, it’s hard to imagine the business running smoothly. As the leader, you’re in charge of everything from checking inventory and paying utilities to promoting your business and keeping customers happy. However, everyone needs a break from work to rest and recuperate energy. Here's how you can take a vacation as a small business owner.
Delegate Tasks to Your Team Members
If you’ve taken measures to hire the right employees, they should be talented and trustworthy enough to take over your tasks for a short time. Ideally, you should evenly distribute your duties amongst the team. For example, designate a point person to deal with customer inquiries, another person to handle supplier needs, and someone to take care of billing. This is also an effective way of trying someone out for a promotion. During this process, if you notice there is a member of your team the business can't run without, you can also consider investing in key person insurance.
Consider How Long Your Vacation Can Be
As a small business owner, planning a three-week vacation may not be in the cards, but your team should be able to take care of the business for at least a long weekend. It’s a great opportunity to recharge without having to worry about your work piling up. Even if any damages were to occur to the establishment, your staff, or your customers while you were gone, your business insurance and workers compensation would have you covered.
Set Boundaries with Staff
While some owners can take a week off uninterrupted by business inquiries, small business owners may need to make themselves temporarily available. If you choose to check in with your staff every day, make sure you’ve informed them in advance of how much time you’re willing to allocate to their needs. Of course, you’re not expected to work full-time from the beach, but dedicating a certain amount of time each day to answer any pressing questions may be required. Outside of that time, leave your phone in your hotel room to avoid any stressful triggers.
Plan for an Easy First Day Back
Before leaving for your time off, make sure to schedule your first day back. You want to be able to gradually transition back into your work mindset to prevent costly mistakes. Ease back into work by checking up on emails and phone messages. Leave the bigger projects for the following day when you’re ready to jump back into the swing of things.
Invest in Policies That Keep Your Business Safe
To mitigate other disasters that may occur while you’re away, you should ensure you have the right business policies. General liability insurance will help protect your business from any injuries that befall customers, and commercial property insurance will come to your aid in the event your establishment or business equipment becomes damaged. If there are any mistakes in the services your employees provide in your absence, professional liability insurance will have you covered in the event of a lawsuit, as well.
Although it may seem like a pipedream to take a vacation as a small business owner, there’s much you can do to prepare your company for your absence. While you take steps to ensure your work is temporarily covered, your commercial insurance policies will ensure your company is protected on multiple fronts. To aid in your quest for a carefree vacation, the expert agents at World Insurance Associates will match you with the ideal business insurance policies for your needs.
This article is not intended to be exhaustive, nor should any discussion or opinions be construed as legal advice. Readers should contact legal counsel or an insurance professional for appropriate advice.