Well that’s it, they’re here, the dreaded school summer holidays. If, like me, you run a business alongside being a mum it can be a daunting time. So how do you make sure you and your business are ready for the 6-week break?
Here are some ideas that might help: –
Forward Planning
Do as much as you can in advance. Write and schedule enough social media content to keep you going. Make sure you’ve got a couple of blogs in the bag to use on your website. Get a newsletter out before the break starts. Being prepared and scheduling in advance really does make a difference. It means you can concentrate on the day to day running of things. Make sure all your clients know if you’re changing your hours or going away completely. That way they can also be prepared.
Time Chunking
This is a great habit to get into even when it’s not holiday time. Try and work in time blocks, it breaks up the day. Maybe concentrate on working in the mornings and then having time off with the little ones in the afternoon. If you’re like me and your body clock is set to about 6am-7am, don’t be tempted to lie in, get up and cram in a few hours work before the chaos descends.
Lists
I love a list, crossing things off makes me feel like I’ve really achieved something. I use them pretty much every day and for, well, pretty much everything. The holidays are no exception. Get the children involved too, just because they’re not at school doesn’t mean they can’t help with some little jobs like putting washing away, emptying the dishwasher and a bit of hoovering. Explain that if they help it’ll mean you all get to do fun stuff later!
Delegate/Outsource
If the thought of trying to run your business and look after the children is just too much to bear, you could look at outsourcing some things or finding someone who offers holiday cover, even if it’s just for a week or two. There are lots of VAs like myself who offer holiday cover, whether that be manning your emails/diary, fielding phone calls. Check out what’s on offer you might be surprised.
Business Tidy Up
If you don’t have children but you find that your business goes a bit quieter, use the time wisely. Tidy up your email boxes, do some networking/marketing to build up more business. Reach out to existing clients, make sure they’re happy and if they are get them to write testimonials. It’s a great opportunity to revisit your business and see here you can outsource or streamline systems to get the most out of your time.
Hopefully these tips will help. I also find it great to have a few like-minded business friends to vent to if it all gets too much. Someone who knows how tricky it can be. Sometimes all it takes is a friendly ear to listen. Most importantly, enjoy it, these times are precious and go so quickly (my youngest starts secondary school September 2018), have fun, don’t make it all about the business. Make some great memories too. We all need time to recharge!