This week, Charlie is on holiday and as any business owner knows, it can be hard to take some time off - but, in our opinion, taking a break is really important and helps you come back refreshed and focussed. Read on to find out why you should take a holiday and our tips for getting your business ready.
Why it's a Good Idea....
If you’re a business owner it probably won’t come as a surprise that a recent survey found 59% of us take 5 or fewer days’ holiday a year and 10% none at all.
While it may feel like there is never a good time to take a holiday, it can benefit both you and your business. Getting away from home or taking a break from work and everyday life can help you feel inspired as it gives your mind time to properly switch off.
Remind yourself of your reasons for setting up your business - if like Charlie, you wanted a better quality of life and to improve your work/life balance, it’s important to try and keep that in mind.
How to Prepare Your Business...
Getting your business ready for a holiday can feel quite overwhelming but to make sure you’re prepared, take some time to put a plan in place:
Preparing your customers and employees in advance is key! Send an email explaining when you will be away and remind them again nearer the time.
If you really want to get away from it all (and if, like Charlie, you don’t have any wifi on holiday) try to appoint someone to act on your behalf.
If you are going to check in on work, set yourself boundaries/rules for your holiday. Maybe disable access to work emails on your phone to avoid being distracted while you’re away.
Set a detailed out of office so people know exactly who to contact in your absence.
Automate tasks, eg. use Later to pre-schedule social media posts.
Finally, if a long holiday seems unmanageable, maybe take regular shorter breaks.
At The Arts VA, we can support your business while you take a holiday - here are a couple of ideas about how we can help but if you want to find out more, contact Charlie for a chat.
Manage your inbox - we can file emails and label those that need actioning. If you plan to check in with work while you’re away, we can highlight the emails you should read/respond to and draft replies for you to quickly approve. We can also work with you before you go away to write template responses for standard replies, so these are ready to go while you’re on holiday.
Manage your accounts - if we have access to your online accounting tool - for example Xero, Quickbooks and Freeagent - we can chase payments that are due while you’re away and send any invoices that need submitting.
The Arts News
Hamilton is back! The musical returns to the stage on 19th August with Karl Queensborough playing the title role. Check out the full cast here.
Don’t miss the pointe shoe display in the Royal Opera House Arcade. The shoes were reimagined by top designers and will be there until 10 August - there's even a raffle to win a pair! Head to the ROH website to get a ticket - proceeds go to their Recovery Campaign.
We’d Love to Hear From You!
If you have any questions or would like to know about how The Arts VA could help you, you can contact Charlie here.