According to a study from 2012* half of entrepreneurs do not take summer vacations. And for the 52% that do, 71% of you are taking work along – yipes!
Check out today’s video for one simple step that you can take TODAY to ensure you get a vacation this summer… it’s not too late.
This is a great post! I have clients who more than not, think I am a superwomen that never sleeps, leaves her desk and has no other obligations! I am super big on servicing my clients to the highest level but I think it is really important to set clear boundaries and expectations right from the start. I have been a VA for over 13 years and if there is one thing I have learned, it is to make sure it is clear that you have a schedule, vacation time and expectations just as anyone else on this planet. If you do not make these things clear from the start, clients expect you to be superwomen and when vacation time or time off comes around, they are shocked and blown out of the water because they thought you would never leave their side. Kristen, if I could offer a suggestion, I would say to have a clear welcome packet or document in writing that states your schedule, availability and vacation model and have your clients sign it. Also, I have found that its not so much that clients don’t want us to take time off, but it is more that they feel lost in terms of how to handle things while away. What I do to eliminate this fear, is let them know as soon as possible about your vacation and then set them up to be productive and active while you are away. For me, I schedule social media posts out as many weeks as I will be gone and any other tasks they need done, I do as many as I can in advance to try to keep things going just as I would myself, while I am away. This eases the clients mind big time!! 🙂
Ann
http://www.transform2succeed.com
Very timely on this post – I’m leaving for a week’s vacation in two weeks. I have told my clients and this will be the first time I have completely unplugged from work! Some clients are pulling the guilt trip – how do I handle that?