If you own your own small business, you’ve probably realized that work never really stops. Whether you’re trying to relax on the weekend or out of town on vacation, work is with you everywhere you go. As much as you’d like to ignore it, if you run a business, sometimes you just can’t.
A survey conducted by Harris Interactive on behalf of the American Psychological Association found some astonishing facts about working while not at work.
Fifty-three percent of adults work over the weekend, 52 percent work before or after the work day, 54 percent work while home sick and 44 percent work while on vacation. And keep in mind this is just for the average working adult, not for the average business owner.
Technology Making Staying in Touch Easier
Thankfully, advanced technology has made it easier to stay in touch with clients and coworkers while away from the office. Instead of having to use the hotel lobby computer and internet connection, workers can now use their mobile devices to check email, stay in touch with clients and finalize meetings.
The article “Texting while flying?” states that passengers are now able to use apps and in-flight Wi-Fi to text and communicate with clients. Technology has gotten so advanced that even pilots are able to text flight details and change altitudes instead of relying on difficult radio calls.
You can use time on the plane to take care of business so you can have more time to enjoy your vacation once you land.
Vacation and Do Some Work at the Same Time
Whether you’re traveling for work or for pleasure, you not being in the office is going to have an effect on employees and clients. Without dedicating your entire vacation to work, there are a few things you can do to maintain contact, including:
- Let everyone know you’ll be gone – Give a heads-up to employees and clients that you will be out of the office. Let them know you will return all emails upon your return and leave a phone number they can call you on for work-related emergencies.
- Check emails at designated times throughout the day – Take 30 minutes in the morning to respond to urgent emails and get in touch with clients that may have a question. Then, turn your devices on silent and enjoy your trip! You can check back in around lunch time and once in the evening. This gives you a nice balance of both work and play.
- Put someone else in charge – Do you have an assistant or employee who you can rely on? It will be in your best interest to designate someone in charge to handle all of the smaller tasks while you’re out of the office. Knowing that your business is in good hands is reassuring and will allow you to focus on what you need to do.
- Take advantage of your technology – Smartphones have the ability to text, call and even hold a video conference. Technology has made it easy to stay connected while on vacation, so use this to your advantage. If something needs to get done, it’s your job as a business owner to get it taken care of. Technology is here to help!
About the Author: Sarah Brooks is a freelance writer living in Charlotte, NC. She writes on a variety of topics include small businesses, social media and personal finance.
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