Time Off?

Due to the ongoing uncertainty of these times, my blog posts will now by headed with a question rather than an exclamation. 😊

When I worked for an organization, I often thought of time off as kind of a joke. I tried to get as much buttoned down before leaving as I could, and then spent the first few days back in the office digging out. Even so, I planned on it and I took it.

Now that I work for myself, I find it very hard to take time off. Especially because I work at home, I find myself checking email constantly, and there’s very little disincentive to sitting down at my desk at all hours of the day – or night.

According to an April 2019 article on the SCORE website,

Having your own business has many upsides. Being able to work for yourself, building an asset, calling the shots – those are all powerful motivators.

But the reality is a little less glamorous. Small business owners work hard – everybody knows that. But how hard they work might scare some people off.

One survey from New York Enterprise Report found that small business owners work twice as much as regular employees.

It’s becoming harder and harder to unplug, even for a short period of time. Even Camp Ryan at Lake George has broadband. Trust me, I’m not complaining, I was glad to be able to Zoom with the chirping in the pine trees outside the kitchen window this summer!

The article concluded:

Despite the long hours, most business owners aren’t complaining. Only 9% of them said the workload is the most difficult part of owning a small business. And 70% of them said owning a small business is the best job they’ve ever had.

I’m firmly in that 70%. But I’m wondering how my fellow solopreneurs take time off without feeling like they’re abandoning their clients!
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What’s your time off strategy? Drop me a line – let’s make #SmallTalk!