Give Yourself the Gift of Time
Copyright 2006 Jeanette Cates
Business planning involves a host of different functions, from
production to sales to marketing. But rarely does it include
time and vacation planning - especially for the solo
entrepreneur.
Learning to take time off is a critical part of your long-term
plan for success. Research has shown that those who take a
regular vacation are sharper and more productive than those who
don't.
Here's a five step plan to ensure you get the time you deserve.
1. Get a calendar for the year. I find that printing a blank
calendar from Outlook serves this purpose well. (Check the Help
menu for instructions on adding a new calendar if you're not
familiar with the process.)
2. Mark off all of your currently scheduled major obligations.
These will include conferences, trips, speaking engagements,
etc. Do not include recurring meetings unless you have made a
special commitment to that event for this year, such as assuming
the presidency of an organization.
3. Looking at the trips you already have scheduled, where could
you add just one more day and double the impact of your trip?
For example, if you're attending a conference plan to stay one
more day. You'll be able to think through the notes you took and
create a plan to implement the ideas. Plus you'll avoid the
crowded flights on Sunday evening!
Now take another look at those trips. Are there vacation
opportunities in those locations? Sometimes adding another day
or two allows you to see the sights in a city you might not
otherwise visit. Since conference rates are often the best
available you'll have a favorable room rate - and you won't have
to pack and unpack again! It's a great way to see the country!
4. Now decide on the number of days you want to take as vacation
days. Count what you have already in travel vacation days, then
start scheduling your additional days. Do you want to take off
the major holidays? Schedule them. Want to take off your
birthday? Your childrens' birthdays? Your anniversary? Just mark
it off!
One of the eye-openers you may have is that you want to take
more than the traditional "two weeks" vacation. And that's one
of the joys of being the boss - you can take that time off if
you want! Will your business suffer? Probably not! You'll likely
focus better when you are working, knowing that you have a
vacation day coming up shortly.
5. Now take all those delicious vacation days and put them on
your permanent calendar for the year. Create an electronic
document that lists all of your vacation days then share it with
your staff, your family, and your business partners. And print a
copy for yourself to help you "remember" what you promised
yourself.
Remember, as the head of your company, only you can take care of
you! And giving yourself time off is your first obligation.