Taking a Break as a Micro-Entrepreneur: Planning Your Vacations Without Hurting Your Business

Vacation

A deserved break that every micro and small entrepreneur can (and should) take

I’m not going to write you yet another article about the importance of taking breaks. I’m sure you already know that. As a small or micro-entrepreneur, you may feel it’s more difficult to take a break or a few vacation days since you’re a key part of your business’s operations. The fewer people involved in the business, the fewer opportunities you have to delegate tasks and take time off. However, as you know, vacations are an essential part of any productivity strategy. So today, I want to share some ideas that will help you see how you, too, can take vacations as a business owner without negatively impacting your business’s operations.

One of the defining characteristics of a micro-entrepreneur is the need to take on many roles and responsibilities and to master the art of multitasking. This is because, with a smaller business structure, there are fewer (or no) people to delegate tasks to. Due to this reality, while many talk about the independence of being your own boss and having “freedom of schedule,” the truth is that often this is less an advantage and more of an increased demand for effort. The days are longer, the chances to disconnect are fewer, and the number of decisions and tasks that rely on you is higher.

Vacations When You Are an Employee

When you are an employee and it's time to take your vacation, you notify in advance, and someone else in the company must take over your responsibilities. Some companies reassign your work to other employees temporarily, while others hire temporary or contract workers to cover for you. Of course, this may require you to put in some effort to provide training so that you can delegate your tasks. But in the end, the day of your vacation comes, and you leave, generally feeling calm, while those who remain in the company take responsibility. If you've done your job well up to that point, there shouldn't be any surprises, and whatever comes up while you're away can be handled if it's urgent or can wait until you return, if feasible.

So, you take your vacation days, calm and happy. You relax and enjoy, whether at home, with family, friends, traveling, or however you prefer. You disconnect.

Vacations when you are an entrepreneur

When you are an entrepreneur, the process is not so simple. If you have an appropriate structure, you can delegate to others, but ultimately, the final responsibility for decisions rests with you. If you have partners, it may be easier, as you can take turns. But if you don’t have partners, you have to rely on your staff, and it’s very likely that you won’t disconnect 100%. Even if you're on vacation, you may receive calls, texts, or emails requesting support, advice, and guidance.

If you’re a micro-entrepreneur, and especially if you’re a "solopreneur" (your business is just you), it’s even more complicated because you don’t even have anyone to delegate tasks to. However, the importance of rest and vacations still stands. Even if you're a micro-entrepreneur, you need to take a break. How can you take a vacation as a small or micro-entrepreneur?

Imagine Your Business is a Child or a Pet

If you decide to go on vacation without your children or pets, you must plan who will take care of them. You need to make sure they will be well cared for, that you have prepared an inventory of food, medicine, hygiene, and entertainment resources to maintain their daily routines. But in addition to that, you keep in some contact with them. You enjoy your vacation, but you talk to your kids or get photos or videos from the pet sitter to see that they are happy and well. Of course, you don't spend the entire day talking to your children or asking how your pets are doing. That would be counterproductive and prevent you from resting.

These confirmations and communications don't require a lot of work, but they help you enjoy your vacation by giving you the peace of mind that you need, knowing that everything is fine. And if, unfortunately, they require medical attention or something unexpected happens, you're reachable to be informed and make the right decisions, including possibly deciding to return earlier if you find it necessary.

You would never think of going on vacation without your young children or pets and ignoring them until you return. But you also don't stop going on vacation without your children or pets if you need a few days for yourself or to spend with your partner, other family members, or friends.

If you're a small or micro-entrepreneur, when you decide you need a vacation, think of your business as a child or a pet, and prepare everything just like you would for them. Make sure everything is in place to keep the business running well in your absence. If it gives you peace of mind, stay in communication and ask for regular reports to ensure you maintain mental peace and can relax and trust that things are going well without your presence.

Suggestions on How to Take Vacation as a Micro-entrepreneur

Here is a list of things you can (and should) take into account that will help you take a vacation as a micro-entrepreneur:

1. Don't improvise your vacation
   Try to plan it in advance so you can prepare your business, your collaborators (if you have any), and your clients appropriately. The earlier everyone knows that you won’t be available for a few days, the better they can prepare themselves for that situation.

2. Ensure you've made all necessary provisions for the business to run smoothly in your absence
   If payments need to be made, make sure your accountant or the person in charge has the required access and signatures. If offices or warehouses need to be opened, ensure someone has the keys. If deliveries must be made, make sure someone is in charge. Make a list of all the routine tasks that need to be done and ensure someone is responsible for them and has what they need to carry them out.

3. Try to avoid having key, non-routine, processes planned during your absence
   If you go on vacation without your children, you wouldn't do it during school report card time when you need to attend meetings with teachers or during regular medical appointments. You would likely try to organize your vacation around those activities to prevent them from being affected by your absence. The same should be considered when taking vacation from your business.

4. Train and delegate regularly and routinely
   Delegating can be tough, but when you want to take a vacation, you’ll regret not doing it sooner. The more processes and decisions you have adequately delegated, the easier it will be to disconnect with confidence, knowing things will continue running smoothly without you.

5. Establish a regular communication mechanism
   To avoid interruptions during your vacation, make sure you clearly set when and how you'd like to know that your business is doing fine. Just like you wouldn’t go 15 days without talking to your children, it may be hard to go 15 days without knowing what's going on in your business. But, just like you likely have a schedule for checking in at home, ensure you get a report or note from your business with the frequency you prefer.

6. Trust your people and be flexible
   If you're delegating decisions while on vacation, it's because you trust the person you’re leaving them with. Don’t micromanage from a distance. Understand and accept that each person is different, and some decisions may not be exactly what you would have chosen. But as long as they help keep the business running and are positive for the business, be flexible with the possibility that someone else may do something a little differently than you normally would.

What if You Are a Solopreneur?

Unfortunately, sometimes it's not possible to follow these steps because your business depends 100% on you. If you leave, there’s no commercial activity. This is a reality, but it’s not an excuse to skip rest. However, you still need to consider how to take a vacation as a micro-entrepreneur, especially if you are a solopreneur.

If you're a solopreneur, you may need to resort to the traditional "Closed for Vacation" sign. Develop your business and client relationships in such a way that it's feasible to temporarily close for a few days without affecting your cash flow or your clients' needs.

If you must temporarily close, make sure your clients know in advance so they can make the necessary preparations, and you can too. You may need to provide additional inventory before leaving, if you supply products, or ensure service requirements are minimal during that time with proper planning. Don’t surprise your clients with your absence, as that could prompt them to seek out your competition while you're away.

Some special clients may require an emergency communication mechanism for peace of mind, so they know you can assist them if necessary. Of course, try to keep this to a minimum and only for truly urgent cases.

Final Note:

Don’t forget to set up an automatic email response indicating you're away, with your return date and alternative contact methods for emergencies. This is crucial because if someone hasn’t been informed about your vacation, they will know you’re not responding immediately because you're on vacation, not because you've neglected them. It also lets them know when you’ll be back, so they can decide whether they can wait for you or if they should contact someone else in charge.

Don’t neglect your rest and vacation. They are essential for your business's productivity.

Don't let your business enslave you and tie you to constant work. Find ways to take a vacation as a small or micro-entrepreneur without affecting your business flow.