When was the last time you took a break?

Founders, be honest: when was the last time you took a proper break?

Research shows 3 in 4 small business owners take less than 20 days off per year, far below the statutory entitlement. With 46+ hour workweeks and under 5 hours of sleep a night, it's no wonder burnout is rife.

I know how hard it is to step away when your business is your baby, in the first 3 years of my business I took no time off (apart from Christmas) - boy did I learn the hard way.

Some of the biggest worries I hear from founders about taking time off are - who will look after the work whilst I am away? What will happen if we get an enquiry? What if there is something urgent?

The fear can be strong.

In support of mental health awareness week I'm sharing my top tips on how founders of small businesses can support their mental health. Taking breaks is so important to rest, recharge and also spend time with your loved ones - and so is taking time to manage the fear and other emotions that might come up in relation to taking time off.

Here are my top tips on containing that fear and making it work for you:

🕶 Plan in breaks in advance. Book it out and commit to taking time off before you feel like you need it. Put aside the money and plan your schedule around them. Breaks are critical to you being able to perform at your best.

🕶 Do what works for you. Don't like long breaks? How can you factor in shorter more frequent breaks perhaps? What feels like a real rest? Something active perhaps or maybe lying on a sunbed?

🕶 Prepare. Tell your team and clients you are taking a break, and set a cut off time the week before for any 'urgent' matters or queries and clearly communicate this.

🕶 If you have a team, delegate and be clear about expectations before you go. Make sure workflows and processes are clear - who does what. Get it written out and shared. Ask for questions before you go.

🕶 If you are solo, create an out of office that has a link to your calendar so clients can book a call for your return. This will likely calm their panic, knowing they have a dedicated time to speak to you on your return.

🕶 If not checking your emails stresses you out more than its worth, set boundaries with yourself to check at set times of the day, but don't break your promises on your out of office. Replying when you have said you are on a break teaches people you will respond anyway.

🕶 If you feel guilty, ask yourself why? You cannot pour from an empty cup. You will not do your best work, so actually you are giving great service to your clients by taking time off. Remember that.

Got any more tips to share?

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Follow the whole series of posts discussing these themes for Mental Health Awareness Week 2024