I grew up on a small Wisconsin dairy farm and I don’t recall my parents ever taking a vacation. My dad would sometimes say, “We’ll take a day off when we’re caught up.” But running a farm, like running any small business, means never really being “caught up.”
My family, it turns out, was not that unusual. A lot of small-business owners, including portable restroom operators, never seem to get caught up enough to take a vacation. But for the sake of their families and their businesses, maybe they should.
Of course, for busy PROs, a summer vacation may be out of the question, but planning a fall or winter getaway could help you make it through the busy season in a more positive state of mind.
YOU’RE NOT ALONE
A study by the business management software provider Sage North America found small-business owners are vacationing less than ever. More than 43 percent reported that they took significantly or somewhat less downtime in 2013 than they did in any of the previous three years. In a survey on vacation time commissioned by Sam’s Club, almost half of small-business owners said they take only major holidays off, or no days at all.
Some business owners fear they will lose business to their competition if they take a vacation. Others claim there’s no one qualified to fill in for them and fear the financial setback of closing for a week. Most small-business owners simply say they are too busy to take time off.
A study by the software maker Intuit claims men who take vacations are 32 percent less likely to die of a heart attack. At the same time, women who don’t take vacations are up to eight times more likely to suffer from heart disease than those who take two vacations a year. Why? Because never having downtime increases stress, which can increase the risk of heart attack, cause depression and generally compromise the immune system.
In addition to better health, small-business owners told Intuit they experienced a significant increase in productivity after a trip. Getting away from the day-to-day pressure of dealing with every little crisis means a business owner can see the big picture and think creatively. Side effects can include game-changing business-improving ideas. Think of a vacation as something you are doing to improve your business, not as a luxury you can’t afford.
If that’s not enough, consider how time away could improve your family relationships. Do you really want your children’s only memories of you to be work related?
HOW TO TAKE A VACATION
There are three ways for a boss to take a vacation. You can close the shop, take the business with you, or find someone to run it in your absence.
If you choose the first option, you’ll want to book your vacation for the slowest time of the year and give your customers, staff and suppliers plenty of warning that there will be a complete shutdown.
The second option is not quite as restful. You travel, but work remotely via technology. If you truly believe taking calls and answering emails from the beach is the only way you can get away, make sure your destination has adequate technological resources such as reliable electricity, good coverage by your cellular provider, affordable Wi-Fi and whatever else you think you’ll need. Many hotels have business centers for guests to use, but determine what that includes before you book a stay.
This option may make your vacation worry-free because you can keep tabs on things and deal with problems as they occur, but it doesn’t have the health benefits of getting away from work completely. And your family may resent your taking work calls while spinning in a teacup or gazing into the Grand Canyon.
THE BEST WAY TO GET AWAY
Having someone you trust manage in your absence is the best option. The company continues to operate and make money while you get a true break. But it takes advance planning. That’s why it’s good to think about vacation during your busy season, so you are ready to go when things slow down.
If you have employees, choose the most capable and reliable and designate him or her your second-in-command. In the months leading up to your vacation train this person to take over.
If you don’t have employees, there may be other workable solutions. You could arrange a trade with another (trusted) portable restroom company in the area. You offer to run their service routes while the owner is on vacation for a week and they return the favor while you are gone for a week. You could also ask someone who is retired from the business but still capable to fill in for you.
Make a list of important procedures and information your replacement needs to know to keep the business humming along while you’re gone. In the case of a trade-off with another PRO, you might want to keep answering the phone yourself or have someone else monitor the phones for you in case new customers call.
Don’t dump this responsibility of running the company on your replacement at the last minute. Meet regularly for months before your planned vacation to ease them into it. And have a few trial runs. Practice by letting your replacement run things for a day or two. This will give you both the chance to see how things go and work out the details of the vacation plan.
FREE TO ROAM
One of the reasons you chose to run your own business rather than work for someone else was for the freedom. But is it freedom if you can never take a vacation? How free are you if you have to be there to deal with every crisis and deal with every customer? Maybe it’s time to declare your independence and plan a vacation.
