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How does one take a vacation as an entrepreneur?? A question I asked myself a lot after starting a business because it is so easy to fall into the trap of working 24/7.

One of the many reasons behind starting a business or becoming self employed is to have time freedom. That was always something important to me when I got started.

However, often times when we work for ourselves in can be easy to fall into this rhythm of working more than we normally would. I have found myself working longer days, and even on holidays and weekends.

Don’t get me wrong, there is a time and place for this. Especially when you are just starting out, you will need to go through a season of hustle where you are grinding harder than ever to get your business off the ground.

But once the ball is rolling, it is so important to make sure you are taking the time to do things that really matter. That could be spending time with family or taking a much needed vacation, etc.

After listening to this episode of the Branded Cowgirl Podcast my hope is that your mindset changes around taking a vacation as an entrepreneur. And hopefully you start planning your next trip after this!

Everyone Needs A Reset

When I was 18 and first decided to become a business owner, I was running two hustles. Photography and Horse training. These kept me extremely busy and basically I had no time to do much else. But as a young adult I also didn’t really mind.

However now that I am older and married, I feel a lot differently about this. It’s no longer just about me. I have a husband and one day children to look after.

I have other priorities besides just my own. The two career paths I was pursuing did not allow much freedom in my schedule which was taking a bit of a toll on my relationship. Tyler is a huge supporter for me and I am so grateful that he encourages me to chance my dreams, but I saw how frustrating it was when I would have to be gone every single weekend for weddings and photo shoots.

It was putting a strain on our relationship and I did not like that.

From that moment on I knew I needed to make some changes.

Avoid Burn Out

People underestimate what burn out can actually do to their business. When you get burnt out, you lose motivation, and you have no passion for what you are doing. When the passion is gone, it will show in your business.

Taking a vacation as an entrepreneur will help you avoid getting burnt out and will keep the inspiration flowing in your business. Ever heard that saying “you can’t pour from an empty cup”?? Well, it’s true! You need to make sure you are taking care of yourself physically and mentally in order to serve others well.

Think About Your “Why”

I know what you might be thinking…”Sarah, I am so busy, how do you expect me to just stop working?” OR “what if my business dies while I am away?” And those are very real concerns and points. However I want you to go back and think about your WHY. Why did you decide to do this? Why did you want to have this business make whatever kind of impact you are making?

Did you do this so you could have more time freedom? Or did you do this to become for financially stable? Maybe a little bit of both?

Hear me out, if you are working non stop, you are never going to be able to see the benefits of financial gain or time if you cannot let go of the reins a little bit.

Your Business Will Not Go Up In Flames

Do not believe the lie that your business will go up in flames. I’ve had people tell me in the past that if I were to take a vacation as an entrepreneur, my business will die off. And that could not be further from the truth.

The reality is, even if you do not have a team working under you.. a couple weeks away is not going to cause detrimental damage to your business. And if it does, you may need to reevaluate your systems or marketing strategy. A sustainable business should be able to survive without you bring present 24/7.

Tips for how to take a stress free vacation as an entrepreneur

• set up automations (email lists) scheduling IG posts, etc – canva, FB business hub, etc

• tell your people what you are doing & set up rules and/guidelines

• hire on someone to help you even if it’s temporary (product businesses)

• plan vacations at the beginning of the year so you can prep for it all year long

• be intentional about when you go

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