Etymologists believe the word VACATION was first used around the year 1350.
For a lot of small business owners, that’s the last time they’ve taken one.
If you think that the end-of-year holiday season is the perfect opportunity to maybe sneak away from the business for a day or two, or maybe three, you didn’t read the beginning of this article.
No Vacation from Work
According to a recent study from Funding Circle, 70 percent of small business owners worked on Thanksgiving even though they had planned to take that whole day off.
And on Christmas and Hannukah and New Year’s Eve — the perfect days to get away from your small business? You guessed it. Only 49 percent of small businesses contacted by Funding Circle said they planned to take less than three days off the whole season.
Considering how dedicated those same small business owners were to taking the day off on Thanksgiving — when almost NO ONE is open — it’s safe to assume the average small business was officially closed about zero days over the holiday season.
Sure, a small business owner likely has a passion for his or her work that has driven them to go out on their own. But most are also afraid to leave their business unattended even for 24 hours. In fact, 19 percent of small business owners told Funding Circle they feel guilty getting away from it.
You’ve Got to Get Away — Even If Only For 1 Day
Constantly working and refusing to take a day off are both unhealthy practices and counter-productive for your business.
“As a small business owner myself, I understand the challenges in taking time off and unplugging, but taking vacation is critical to leading a balanced life,” Sam Hodges, co-founder and US managing director of Funding Circle says.
Solopreneurs should use a day to recharge their proverbial batteries and get a fresher perspective on their work.
Small business owners in charge of a team — no matter how small — should physically get away from their business at least for a day. But don’t just run away.
Implement an “In Case of Emergency” plan where the person you trust most with your business in your absence has the ability to reach you.
Otherwise, power down your laptop, switch off the smartphone and go take a break!
Snowboard Vacation Photo via Shutterstock
This article, “70 Percent of Small Business Owners Do Not See a Holiday as a Vacation from Work” was first published on Small Business Trends