It seems like no time at all since the children trooped back to school after another school holiday, and now the long summer break is looming ahead of us. Whether you have a tear in your eye or a spring in your step, there’s no denying that childcare (particularly in the holidays) can be a stumbling block for many business owners.
Flexibility and work life balance are key reasons why many people start their own business. The desire to have the freedom to set your own hours, take time off when you need and work around the family is a strong one but thirteen weeks holiday a year is a long time to fill, whatever your circumstances. You need a strategy.
People often think that things will be easier when children start school but life can become more complicated. All too often the dream of long summer days is replaced by inefficient multi-tasking, frustrating compromises or expensive childcare. And a lot of Minecraft.
It doesn’t have to be this way, with the right approach and careful planning, you can get the balance you are looking for. Don’t think you can leave it all to the last minute and hope for the best, you need the right structures and processes in place.
So if the last holiday didn’t quite go as planned, or you feel you could manage it better next time, then start now to put your summer plans in place.
Here are my Top Five Tips for stress free holidays.
- Decide on your vision for the holidays.
It’s easy to cross your fingers and hope for the best but it rarely works. Do you want to relocate completely? Would you like to work from home? Do your children want to do activities or special trips?
If you are planning to work, younger children will almost certainly need some supervised care, whether family or an organised scheme, and many of these options will not cover a full working day. You may think older children will be able to occupy themselves while you work but be realistic about how achievable that really is. An hour or two here and there will probably be fine, but they will struggle for a full working day and week. There is only so much YouTube one can watch.
Factor in your childcare costs, which can be over £150 a week per child in some cases, and you may need to adjust your revenue targets accordingly. Otherwise you can easily be in a vicious circle of being unable to afford childcare or work enough hours.
2. Adjust your business plan
This is not something you can implement overnight, but take a long hard look at your business plan and your revenue forecasts. Look at how you have spread out your revenue across the year and see if it needs adjusting. You may need to plan campaigns or increase activity in certain months in order to bring in additional revenue in those months. Take a look at your sales cycle. If you are mainly responsible for sales, then lowering activity in August will have a knock on effect later in the year. Similarly, it’s unwise to plan a sales initiative which will bring in new business just as you are about to take time off.
In our PlanningCLUB, we work on business growth throughout the year but our software has built in seasonal adjustments so that you can make allowances for this. Similarly many clients, when working on their 90 Day Plans, are careful to mark school holidays and plan reduced activity.
- Systems, systems, systems
Having the right systems and processes in place are the key to delegation. The mistake lots of business owners make is the belief that their business can’t run without them. It almost certainly can, you just need the right processes in place. Having good systems and processes will make your business run more smoothly, whether you’re a parent or not, and it can free up a surprising amount of time. Clear systems will also make it easier for others to cover for staff absences and handle unforeseen difficulties.
Take time now to take a good look at what tasks you could delegate in theory, and what needs to happen to make that a reality.
- Don’t abandon Sales and Marketing
When you have less time available, this is often the first thing to slip, as you’re working in the business to keep clients happy. However some careful thought can keep things moving. Start thinking now about marketing campaigns or sales initiatives that can be developed that can generate leads in the background. Online content such as blogs and downloadable guides can be worked on now, and scheduled for release later. Social Media can also be planned and scheduled in advance. Think about guides and resources that clients can sign up for and receive automatically. You might also consider a direct mail campaign and develop a proper follow up procedure that someone else can implement if necessary.
- Organise (and expand) your team
If you want to take more time off, hire more staff. In fact, having plenty of cover is vital during holiday time as many of your team will also be working parents. Talk to them now about what their plans are and how that can be managed. It’s easier to accommodate everyone’s needs if you have the conversation in advance. If holiday days are limited, would they benefit from flexible hours or remote working? Take a look at your team and identify any potential pressure points now. If you feel you are going to need extra cover, you will need to start the recruitment process now.
By following all these steps, you will be able to enjoy time with your family and allow your business to thrive. Get in touch on 01788 297 004 if you’d like to book a free half-hour chat to work out how to make it easier in your business.
