How much time do you take off in a year as a business owner? 🏝

[isabelle]

Hey Seller Community! We're back with another Question of the Week. With summer approaching soon, we're wondering....

How much time do you take off in a year as a business owner? If any?

Looking forward to reading your replies and learning from you all 💡 

[ReginaRMT]

@isabelle I take off as much time as I want or need. My wife is a Teacher so I take off a lot of the summer and school breaks, I really do believe in time away from anything helps develop a better outlook as a whole. A few years ago I took off half a year to train and race triathlon in Auckland,New Zealand. 

[Amjete]

I usually take one week every three months to disconnect from everything and even then I am constantly thinking about the next projects. 

[2308]

I don't know what time off is, I get excited when I can leave early by a couple of hours.  

[Bronze_Palms]

I try to close off bookings so I have a free morning or evening here and there. I would like to have set days off but I am having a difficult time not being in the business every day.

[bestnails]

Robin from REmedy Nailz; specializing safe pedicures for Diabetics.

i make sure i give myself a break about 3 weeks in one working year. Sometimes, i take separate ones or i'll merge all 3 into one bulk vacation. 

Olive I am curious how many do you take/

[TCSlaguna]

Maybe once a year I will take a three day weekend. Planning vacations is just an extra task on me, so I either have friends plan them or I will just go somewhere last minute and explore. 

I take daycations more often, but they too are always last minute decisions. If you make the best of every day, life is vacation 

[skullhunterNV]

Fun question...!

We, husband and I, try to take some days here and there, along with our anniversary weekend... however... it's difficult since we have our store in the historic Virginia City, NV and we do trade/craft shows... We do try to take the 10 days of the Reno Rodeo since we are members, as well as on a few committees, BSD, Usher, and Sorting. I ride on our esteemed Flag Team with one of our horse's, Joker. It's also difficult since I make much of the inventory for the store as well as the shows... I add retail to help... and online, Etsy store... that keeps me busy too.  But, being the owner, does allow for days that you can schedule time off for family events which is really nice. I wouldn't change a thing, as it is fun, relaxing (stress at times) lol, meet lots of people and it's nice to get away when the shows are out of town.

[ReaverForge]

I forced myself to set a schedule with 2 days off a week from my primary shop, otherwise I will wear myself down until I cannot move for days. Even on my days off from my store/shop, I am still working on other jobs at my home shop, just at a much slower pace. So... really I dont take time off... clients want their items, and I want to get paid, so gotta grind. 

[ravenmaurshellc]

3, 4 days vacations and once every sunday 

[Abigails_stl]

Great question! I take off whatever I need to keep me going...sometimes I can work multiple 70 hour weeks and feel great with no burn out... other times, 1 40 hour work week can have me climbing the walls. When I opened my business it was just me and we were open every day 10-8. That didn't last more than a few months. I moved back to hometown to open my business and be close to family. I was close but I wasn't seeing them. After those first few months, I scaled back our hours and brought on help. I have found that the more balanced my life and mental health, the more our company grows, allowing me to bring on more people and take more time off. I am finally at the place where if I want to take off a few days or weeks I usually can. The only time I don't schedule anytime completely away from the business is Nov 1 - Dec 26... 

-Abby

[JAMitchell]

Abigail, love this insight from your comment: "...close to family. I was close but I wasn't seeing them. After those first few months, I scaled back our hours and brought on help. I have found that the more balanced my life and mental health, the more our company grows, allowing me to bring on more people and take more time off." As a newer business owner, I am still trying to figure all of this out!

[orders]

i usually take  every Monday off , but at times if a family issue comes up i will take a few day at random

[MudFire_Dex]

I used to never take any time off unless the business was closed for a holiday or weather, etc. A few years ago I started a practice of doing one day a week which feels much better. We work non-traditional hours so I often have a late morning / late night here and that feels better too. We do an annual retreat with a smaller inner circle of our team which is still work but in a relaxing environment but I'd say taking time off is still a struggle and I've been a business owner since 2008.

[ShopSideB]

I try to take 4 days off in a row every month to decompress/ get reorganized.  Time off is usually planned around special occasions so I can spend time with friends and family, which is hard to do. 

[tbrackins]

not enough work goes with me.

[homeprogreen]

Normally I manage to take off for 4 days every 4-5 years. Other then that the shop is closed on Sunday’s so technically that’s time off but not really because I end up working on the books and getting the weekly deposit ready while also getting stuff done around the house that I don’t have time to do the other 6 days of the week 

[flavawear]

Wow, I probably take maybe a day or two off a year, when its mandatory that the plaza my shop is in is closed, Christmas Day and can't even think of any other, lol and thats been for the last 20 years. The only other time I've taken off is for surgery or birth of my grands, again Wow!

[Candlestore]

Define a Day off please.

Not going in to the Store, or doing nothing business related?  If I do not go in or have to leave early it is usually to go get something for the business, or meet with someone about the business.  Now if I am told to stay home by my wife, it is usually because I get behind on Tax related items or Bills because she knows when I am at the Store I am always busy doing something work related.  Shopping for supplies, making candles, organizing, making Excel Power Queries to help make my time in Excel shorter.  So even when I have a day off from the store it is usually doing something business related or will be before the day is done.  I was informed that I may miss being at the store might be 6 days in a year and that includes when we have a major holiday or a snowstorm and are closed because of weather.  Even when we are closed because of weather we still get calls on our Stores number which is a Cell phone and answer it.  So is that a Day off?  Our current hours are 10 am - 6pm, 7 days a week.  Gotta put in the long hours and work to build a successful business.

[Rad511]

Right, you can't not be doing something all the time with a thriving business, but if I were you I would at least start by not taking those calls on days you're closed. I believe you need some level of disconnection to stay fresh, it starts to wear you down slowly over time when you're constantly connected.

[Ancairportrent]

Hello this is a good question, I’m located in a city that has an extreme amount of summer tourism traffic and a few rushes throughout the year October December February. I have been in business the last 10 years. I’ve always ran away in the busiest time mid July for 10 days or so. in off season  we spend about 4 months a year off now we are  fortunate to go to Mexico  for that off season time or I have a trusted employee run things, which we all know is hard to find.