Get Out Of Town!
 By Terry M. Blair

We’re half way through summer. Have you taken your vacation yet?

A recent survey by Expedia.com found that more than 51.2 million American workers are vacation deprived.

It’s not that Americans don’t see the value in vacation. A whopping 39 percent of the survey’s respondents reported that they feel more productive and better about their jobs upon returning from vacation.

However, the survey found that work responsibilities can be a deterrent to taking vacation, with 19 percent of respondents saying that they’ve cancelled or postponed vacation plans because of work. Additionally, 23 percent reported that they check work e-mail

or voice mail while on vacation. “Spending quality time with friends and family away from the daily grind is good for all of us, and has been proven to yield incredible health and wellness benefits, as well as recharge our work batteries,” says Ted Jansen, vice president, retail, Expedia.com.

Probably the hardest hit of all vacation-deprived Americans are small-business owners and entrepreneurs. Many of them are reluctant—if not downright fearful—to take a well-deserved break. After all, who’s going to oversee the business while you’re soaking up the sun on the beach or teeing off on the golf course?

But even small-business owners need a break to help them recharge and rejuvenate.

Vacations are good for you—and good for your business. You get a chance to relax, unwind and clear the cobwebs out of your mind. And you return to the business with new energy, passion and ideas.

Here are some tips to help you get out of town and leave your worries behind without fretting about your business.

Ease into it
Are you too afraid to take off for a full week? Start small and work your way up. Try taking long three- or four-day weekends. Once you get more comfortable being away—and realize your business will survive without your presence in the office—you can plan on longer trips.

Schedule vacations during slow periods
Plan your vacation for times when your business isn’t booming. A slow season is an ideal time to take a trip.

For instance, if you’re a landscaper, you may want to vacation in the winter. An accountant may have better luck getting away after the tax crunch ends.

Plan your getaway
Make your plans well in advance. Alert your clients and customers to your plans so projects can be scheduled accordingly. And remind them about a week before you head out. Work ahead if possible so you’re not overwhelmed when you return.

Pay your bills
Make sure all suppliers and contractor bills are paid up before you leave. You don’t want to have slow pays on your record because you were out of town.

Designate a point person
If your business will be operating in your absence, assign an employee to be in charge while you’re away. This is the person you’ll contact for messages and updates.

Put someone on vacation watch
Have a friend, family member or neighbor pick up your mail daily. And ask them to physically check your business or home office for anything amiss such as broken pipes or open doors or windows.

Leave a message
Put a message on your voice mail and an auto-responder on your e-mail indicating the dates you’ll be out of pocket. Specify when you’ll be back in the office and returning communications.

Stay connected
Set aside 30 minutes each day to check voice messages and e-mails. Use this time to put out any fires that may have erupted back home.

Get back in the saddle
Schedule a day or two just to catch up on what happened while you were away before you plunge head first into the grind.

(Posted July 2007)

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