Running a small business is hard and demanding work. If you are not careful you can and will burn yourself out. It is also important to not become jaded or pessimistic in your views. This will only hamper the progress and growth of you and your business. If you want to get ahead then you must plan on getting away. That's right! You must get out of your studio and go away so you can have a fresh outlook on all that you do. After running our own studio for over 25 years here is an important fact that we can share with you
Vacations are a necessity!
Ok, maybe you just had a nice chuckle but it is true! If you have not had time to get away make a promise to yourself that you will do so. Check out these top seven tips on how to plan your getaway:
1. Find time even if it is just a weekend away! You will come back refreshed and renewed!
2. Stop and smell the roses, especially if you are a sole practitioner. You will sabotage your career and also your life unless you do this. Days off will allow you to think a bit differently and find balance.
3. Look at and create a schedule for upcoming projects and deadlines, this lets you take care of the things that you can before you go away. By doing this you will be able to put your projects aside and enjoy your trip because you are prepared.
4. Determine well in advance who will take care of your responsibilities in your absence. Provide all the necessary information for answering questions. Determine the appropriate level of comfort for any decisions that must be made while you are away.
5. Try to contact your studio only once if at all while you are away. Tell the studio not to contact you unless the school has burned to the ground. You don't need to hear about who didn't come to class or who is misbehaving or who did what to whom. All that can wait until you get home. Find balance and relax as my wife Angela likes to say.
6. It's ok if your customers know you are going away, you deserve down time. Don't ever feel you have to apologize or explain yourself for going on a vacation. As long as everything is in order while you are gone they may not even notice your absence.
7. Bring along books and magazines unrelated to your business. Vacations allow you to think about things that you never would be able to do otherwise. It's not uncommon and as a matter of fact it happens to us all the time that we come up with fabulous ideas for our business when we are sitting on a beach or by the pool on our vacation. It may be the beach for you too but it could be anywhere that you like to go to relax. Those vacation ideas can be some of the best and most successful ones you ever have!
Ok there you have it! Make your vacation time part of your business plan and find time for yourself. Here is another idea, join us this summer at our Conference and Expo in Las Vegas and then stay after the event for down time to reflect not only on what a wonderful business you have but also the great things you do for your students, faculty and staff!
