07.28.02
How to Survive a Home Business Vacation
Last Monday morning, I braced myself for a deluge of email.
I had not switched on my computer for three days and just
knew I would have a couple of hundred emails.
I was wrong. There were 486.
That afternoon, our postal carrier left a basket of mail
that must have weighed a couple of pounds.
‘I need a vacation,’ I muttered to myself. But that was the
problem. Monday was my first day back from one, and I vowed
I would never take another.
I eventually came to my senses, but I still tend to think
of time away from business with a mix of excitement and
dread. After all, those who work outside the home usually
have co-workers who can cover for them when they are away.
Yet, the Los Angeles Times reports that 40% of workers keep
in touch with their employers while on vacation. ‘But that
can get in the way of the fun and stress reduction
vacationers are seeking,’ the Times notes.
It’s worse for home based entrepreneurs, who tend to be
one-person shops. Imagine the orders, customer service calls
and income opportunities we miss by being away from our
posts for a week.
But vacations are as necessary as lunch (you do take a break
for lunch, don’t you?) Vacations allow us to recharge our
mental batteries, resulting in increased energy and
creativity — not to mention keeping burn-out at bay. The
trick to taking the time you need and coming home smoothly
is in how you prepare your business for your absence. Here
are some tips:
1. COMMUNICATION IS KEY
Two weeks before a vacation, Angela Strosnider of Virtual
Office and Business Solutions announces it to her clients,
relatives and others. ‘I take the laptop and check for any
emergency mails as well. Besides that I make an autorespond
message to all emails about when I’ll return,’ she says.
You need to communicate with your customers when you get
back as well, especially when email replies have been
delayed for a few days due to your absence. ‘People are
understanding if you offer a reason for the long wait,’ says
Terri Seymour of http://www.websuccesscentral.com
2. GIVE YOURSELF A WINDOW TO CATCH UP
‘I’ve always thought that I should extend my vacation by two
days when telling others,’ says Roberta Stubblefield of The
Mom Team http://RobertaS.themomteam.com ‘That way I can
use the two days to catch up on everything with the
answering machine on, then be ready to start out fresh.’
3. CONSIDER HIRING A BACKUP
A virtual assistant could be the answer to your vacation
prayers, notes Kristie Lemauga, who happens to be the VA at
http://www.kksadministrative.com Kristie suggests that
by forwarding your email to a live person instead of using
an autoresponder, your customers can have their needs
handled in a personal manner. Kristie says that A VA can
also ‘process any orders, info requests, data entry, and
unsubscribes while you are away, take phone calls for your
business, prepare your calender for your return, and assist
with administrative tasks … so you can catch up in the
areas that require your personal attention.’
4. MAKE A PLAYDATE FOR THE KIDS
As much as we love our children (and for many of us, they
are the reason we are working at home in the first place),
they can also be a distraction. You’ll catch up faster upon
your return if they’re having fun outside the house. Terri
Seymour arranges an overnight visit with their grandparents,
but taking them to a playdate at the home of a trusted
friend may give you all the time you need to focus on your
work. (Just be sure your friend knows you’ll return the
favor soon!)
5. ENJOY YOUR TIME OFF!
Remember that you need your vacation! As Angela Strosnider
says, ‘Working at home is a 24/7 job just like any other
when you add a house and family. Take a personal time-out
with you and your loved ones, and you will feel much better
about working so much later.’
Donna Schwartz Mills writes about the specific needs of work
at home parents at her website, The ParentPreneur Club,
“For Parents Who Want Choices, Not Office Politics.” Tools,
tips and advice you need to help grow your home based
business while raising a family. Subscribe to our weekly
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