Catch up on some related episodes:

How to create a vision plan for your business to guide you through 2023

Today’s talking points:

Taking guilt-free time off boils down to being prepared and planning in advance. I’m sharing my top planning tips with you!

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Welcome to episode 4 of the Boss Your Q4 series!

Over 5 episodes, I’m going to be coaching you on finishing 2023 strong, strategising the rest of the year and me basically trying to help you as much as I can!

So far we’ve talked about how to boss the rest of 2023 with a successful strategy, how to take advantage of the seasons when content planning, and how to plan for an epic Black Friday

That brings us to the fourth installment of this series in which we are going to be talking all about taking time off.

I always have at least two weeks off at Christmas and one question I get asked a lot is: how do I plan for that? How do you take that amount of time off when you are the CEO of your business?

We are talking about how to plan holiday time off as business owners. This is a non-negotiable for me, throughout the year but especially in December.

And this is the thing as the boss of your business, you are the business owner, you make the rules, you make the schedule. So there are these seasons throughout the year that we get to plan for to take time off.

Whatever that looks like for you throughout the year, I want to give you the context and thought process that I go through when I am planning to take these bigger amounts of time off, so you can plan for them too.

Let’s dive in.

Plan your time off in advance and set clear boundaries

If you've been following me for a while, you know I love my Christmas break. I’m a holiday junkie - I’ll admit it. I Iove family time, I love decorating the house and putting up the tree. I love festive baking and walking around our neighbourhood looking at all the lights. I love everything about it

One question that I always get asked is, "How do I plan for such a long break?"

Well, it's no surprise that I plan for it meticulously. I’m a coach, I could have live programmes running at any given time. So it’s essential I look ahead and at the programmes running when I’m doing my annual sales planning. It’s why sales planning is so important. If you're launching a six-month programme that doesn't start until October, it's going to go into the holiday season. And so it's just making sure that you are planning for that and looking at it strategically big picture style.

I reiterate this often, but planning is not meant to constrict you. It's meant to expand you so you can plan to have and do the things that you really want to do in your business. Looking ahead of time at the calendar helps you do that. It gives you that gift.

So in your business sales plan, you want to schedule your programmes, projects and launches to end before December gets here. Or, if that's not the case, you can always give your programme a bonus month and take it off. This way you are also then gifting your clients the gift of the holiday break as well.

This period is typically quieter for service-based clients, while product-based ones are still bustling. It's about acknowledging these patterns and collectively slowing down during the holiday season. It's not a one-size-fits-all approach, but from my experience, it works.

Taking time off doesn't mean your business has to grind to a halt. You can maintain income through recurring sales, contracted income, and automated marketing. It's all about prepping your content and promotions in advance. This is where seasonal content and planning for events like Black Friday come into play. By preparing content and scheduling in advance, you free up space at the end of the year.

My maternity leave is an example of extensive planning. As I record this, my due date is approaching, and my leave has already begun. This preparation of prerecording these podcast episodes allows me to relax and truly enjoy my time off.

So, remember, planning your promotions, launches, and content ahead of time is essential. It not only creates space for a well-deserved break but also ensures your clients and customers feel supported throughout.

In the end, taking time off is about setting boundaries and leading by example. You make the rules, and you can plan your work schedule in a way that benefits both you and your clients.

leverage automated content

Now, let's talk about automation. If you've planned to be away from social media during your break, how can you keep your audience engaged through leveraging automated content?

Maybe you could schedule two to four emails to go out in December. This way, you maintain that important connection with your community without needing to constantly pop up on Instagram stories or squeeze in last-minute mini-trainings. I encourage you to fully embrace your time off, and avoid dipping in and out of social media; instead, plan everything in advance.

Plan those emails, pre-schedule your content, and even set up automated nurture campaigns. These campaigns can guide your audience toward a mini-offer or an email sequence promoting one of your passive products. This way, your business continues to grow while you rest and recharge. It's not just possible; it can be effortless.

If you can plan ahead of time, you can take the time off, your business will survive, your clients will survive, your customers will survive, and everything will be fine. You just have to think about it ahead of time.

It’s the same for January and the new year. You don't want to feel rushed when deciding what to do next. Lay the foundation before taking your break. If you have a team or even just one team member, collaborate with them. Discuss their schedules and when they'll be taking time off. This alignment ensures everyone's on the same page and can offer support before the December break. Remember, it's always a team effort. I personally couldn't take the much-needed time off, especially during my maternity leave, without my team's support.

Plan around your key services

So, what if your business involves providing services or running ongoing programmes? There are a couple of strategies to consider, which I've touched upon earlier.

One option is to extend the duration of your service or programme, letting your clients know well in advance about the break you'll be taking in December. It all boils down to effective communication. Just like with my clients during my maternity leave, I'm continuing Voxer support for some of them because I don't want to leave them without assistance for four months.

So, what does this look like? We maintain Voxer communication, but I've informed them that response times will be slightly slower. Closer to December, I'll notify them that I'll be taking a full two-week break during the holidays. Moreover, I'll encourage them to do the same—to set boundaries in their businesses and make space for themselves.

There are various ways to ensure ongoing support for your clients without leaving them hanging. I often see people hesitant to take this kind of time away from their business due to two main concerns. They fear leaving clients unsupported, being forgotten, or their business not generating revenue without their constant presence.

However, these concerns can be addressed and overcome through intentional planning. That's precisely why I'm discussing this now, well ahead of Q4 in October. You'll have ample time to consider these factors, review your sales plan, ongoing programmes, and upcoming launches, and set yourself up for a spacious and profitable Q4.

My intention here is to make taking holidays as a business owner entirely feasible. It's simpler than many people realise. It all comes down to planning. Take a look at your sales plan, consider the season you want to take off (it doesn't have to be December), and start planning for it. This preparation will make the process less stressful and more attainable. When you take time off, you can be completely present in your break, free from checking DMs, answering clients, or diving into work. You'll have the space and time to recharge—a crucial aspect of being a business owner.

So, start planning now. That time will be here sooner than you think. Plan to claim that space for yourself because, after all, you're a boss, and you deserve it.

Here is a link to episode 3 of the Boss Your Q4 Series in case you missed it!