Can Small Business Owners Go On Holidays?

Having just been on holidays, the first real one in about a year, it was interesting to see how many people were sitting around the resort's pool taking work calls.
One of the hardest things, as a small business owner, is to switch off. But for this recent holiday, my family made me promise that I would not take work calls or check emails.
It was probably the toughest week in terms of feeling I was missing something professionally, but the most rewarding personally because I really did get a break from my business, and spend some long overdue family time with my husband and kids.
How did I do it?
I simply followed the advice I'd discovered when writing Chapter 48 of The Small Business Success Guide:
* Advise customers well in advance that you're going to take time away form the office. That way you can both plan to get things done before you go on holidays.
* Let people know that you won't be contactable because you really do need a break (they will understand), and who they can contact while you're away.
* Set up your voicemail and email so people get a professional out-of-office reply, with your return date and a contact number or email in case of emergency.
* Get your family and friends to jump on your work phone if it rings and run!
Everyone needs to take a break and have some down time.
You owe it to yourself.

Margie