It’s no secret that school holidays can hurt your business. UK schools shut for around 13 weeks a year and if you took all of that time off, you could actually only be earning for 39 weeks a year, which for most, is just not possible!!
As a small business owner and mum of four children, I get how difficult the school breaks can be. Holiday clubs and childcare costs can be expensive or overbooked. Many working parents do not have family nearby who can help. PLUS when you're distracted by a million snack requests, play dates, day trips, nappy changes and breaking up fights, you’re can't be fully present in your business.
Focusing on growing your business, selling your products or services, marketing, learning and developing during the summer months, can be hard!
Your own juggle of business and babies, combined with many other families often going away during this time, can also lead to a decline in sales and revenue.
I’ve recently come back from a family holiday and I'm often asked how I can continue growing my business whilst I'm away or whilst the schools are closed. So, I thought I would share some secrets.
1. Plan ahead. Plan how you can divide your time between work and family. Make sure to also schedule time for yourself. Perhaps you can change your working diary so that you can work in the evenings and weekends, rather than during weekdays.
2. Find other parents in the same situation. Play dates and sharing the childcare with other working parents, can be a great way to work together to support each other. Then you can each dedicate time to making memories and time to making money!
3. Be flexible. Things don’t always go to plan, so it’s good to be flexible. If your kids have a dentist appointment, you need to be able to adjust your schedule accordingly.
4. Make sure you actually take annual leave. You still need time to yourself, to recoup and rejuvenate. What is the point in running your own business if you can’t make the most of the perks?
5. The Big One. Delegate. You may decide you’d like to spend the entire summer holidays away from work, so you might need extra support with your business.
You could consider hiring a Virtual Assistant.
Although hiring a VA does, of course, come at a cost, your business can still be making money whilst you take time off with your family, rather than grinding to a halt.
Whether you need someone to keep on top of your diary and inbox, or you need someone to create, plan and post your social media content, a VA can 'step in' when you need them. They can action your to-do list, reply to enquiries, carry out admin and help to keep the business moving. They can also create a plan for you, so that when you return, you're not inundated with messages, but instead, ready to get back to the aspects of your business, which you enjoy the most, or which make you the most money.
And, as you don't have to use the services of a VA every day, week or month, it may be the back up support you need for a short-term solution, even just during the school holidays.
To ensure I could take an uninterrupted week off to spend quality time on holiday with my family, I trusted my team of virtual assistants. They could schedule my social media, reply to emails, manage enquiries and continue to support our clients. This meant my business still carried on running whilst I was away! And, most importantly, I got to spend some quality time with my children.
Do you need some extra support during the school holidays?
We’d love to show you how we can support you. Get in touch via the link below: https://www.victoriamaynardpa.co.uk/contact
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