Why you Should Look Forward to Holidays

We all need a break, the chance to rest and reflect.

It’s August and for some this means it’s also the height of the holiday season. Holidays at any time of the year are a time for relaxation, fun, and spending time with loved ones. But for many, holidays can also be a source of stress, is this you? Do you worry about your business running smoothly in your absence, and feel guilty about taking time away from work?

As a business coach I help my clients to get some perspective on their working life and help them to understand that they need time out to be able to be at their best productivity level .

This month I’m going to share with you Five Reasons why you should take a holiday and Five Things you can do to remove stress before you go. Feel free to let me know which fits best with you, or maybe they all do?

Five Reasons To Take A Holiday

Relax and De- stress. Running a business can be stressful, and holidays can give you a chance to relax and de-stress. This can help you to come back to work feeling refreshed and motivated.
Improve your productivity. When you’re stressed, it can be difficult to focus and be productive. Holidays can give you a chance to clear your head and come back to work with a fresh perspective.
Learn and Grow. When you’re relaxed and creative, you’re more likely to come up with new ideas for your business. Holidays can give you the space and time to think outside the box and come up with new strategies for growth.
Motivate you. Running a business can be tough and it’s important to stay motivated. Holidays can give you a chance to recharge your batteries and come back to work feeling motivated to achieve your goals.
Re-connect with friends and family. There should be more to your life then working, in my opinion, so taking time off and spending it with those you care about helps you to keep great relationships. Breaks can also help with your mental health and wellbeing leaving you fresher and better able to cope with the challenges that work tends to throw at you.

According to a survey by iwoca, a small business lender, 17% of single employee businesses in the UK report taking no holidays at all in an average year. This means that nearly one in five small business owners in the UK do not take any time off to relax and recharge.

The survey also found that 44% of single employee businesses in the UK predict zero holiday days in the coming year. This means that nearly half of all single-employee businesses in the UK will not be taking a holiday in 2023. This is a significant number, and caused by a number of reasons.

“My business will suffer if I’m not there.” Feeling like this comes from worries about your team missing important deadlines or not being able to cope when you’re not there.
“I feel guilty for taking time off.” This is a common mindset among entrepreneurs, but it’s important to remember that you shouldn’t be indispensable. Your team can handle things without you, and you deserve to take some time for yourself.
“I just don’t enjoy taking holidays”. Is this really true for you? Or is it more that you find it difficult to relax and find yourself constantly thinking about work.” If this is the case for you, it’s important to find ways to relax that don’t involve work. This could mean spending time with your family and friends, pursuing hobbies, or simply taking some time for yourself to read or meditate.

Take a break and you’ll reap rewards not just personally, but for your business too!

5 Tips to Remove Work Stress Before Going on Holiday

With a holiday looming you may be feeling the pressure to get every loose end tied up before you go. If this is you, then I have five tips that can help you remove the stress before you go.

Delegate tasks. Before you go on holiday, delegate as many tasks as possible to your team. You might even find they can stay delegated after your return.
Set clear expectations. When you delegate tasks, make sure to set clear expectations with your team. This will help them to know what needs to be done and when it needs to be done by.
Create a to-do list. Before you go on holiday, create a to-do list of the most important tasks that need to be completed before you leave. This will help you to stay organized and make sure that everything gets done.
Set boundaries with your team and clients. Let them know that you will be unavailable during your holiday and that they should only contact you in a really dire emergency. Hopefully such an event won’t crop up, most will be dealt with by your team if you have briefed them thoroughly.
Don’t feel guilty about taking time off. It’s important to remember that you deserve to relax and enjoy your holiday. Don’t feel guilty about taking time away from work.

Clear communication with your team is the key to being able to switch off and relax whilst you’re on holiday. Have a team meeting before you go, this way everyone knows what you expect to happen whilst you’re away and you can also alert them to any issues that may arise. My final piece of advice is Don’t check your work email whilst you’re away. Disconnect and chill.

I hope these tips help you to look forward to your next holiday and to reduce work stress in the lead-up to your break. Still feeling stressed? Then book a free 121 coaching session with me and let’s work together to get you set for your holiday.

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Why you Should Look Forward to Holidays