Here’s How You Can Take a Vacation Without Worrying about Your Business
Whether it’s the holidays or the summer season, it would be great to put your work life on pause. It would surely benefit your mental and emotional health to take a break away from your everyday life. Somewhere along your vacation, a great idea or an inspiration for your business may strike.
However, if you’re an entrepreneur, it can be tough to leave work because of all the responsibilities tying your hands up. The guilt and worry are especially worse if you have no one who can cover for the tasks you’ll be leaving behind.
It doesn’t always have to be this way, though. Here are some steps that you can take so that you can enjoy some time off your work and avoid worrying that your business will crumble in your absence.
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Hire a virtual assistant
Make sure to hire a virtual assistant who is skilled in the areas that you need help in. Consider those that typically need immediate action or regular checking such as customer service, website management, and logistics. Ensure that your VA has the maturity and ability to solve issues and deal with other unexpected circumstances. Virtual staffing agencies can help you find the right VA so you can be sure that your business will be in capable hands while you’re away.
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Train your VA
Give your virtual assistant a few months before your vacation to undergo training and know your business better. No one comes on their first day of work 100% prepared and knowledgeable about what goes on in your company. This also provides you with enough time to make adjustments in the processes and ensure that your VA meets your expectations.
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Create a plan
This can be a simple set of guidelines or reminders that your VA can use as reference from time to time. Include step-by-step procedures or scenarios that they will likely encounter when you’re away. Be clear about what constitutes an emergency situation. Also, ensure that you both agree on the circumstances when your VA needs to call you up or send a quick Skype message.
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Make sure you have a backup VA
Your virtual assistant can get sick or go through personal emergencies while you’re away. That’s why it would be ideal to have a backup VA as well. Ensure that your backup VA is trained and has the same skills and knowledge as your VA. Your backup VA should be capable of stepping in when your VA is not feeling well or couldn’t report to work.
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Establish a contact plan for emergencies
Don’t forget to leave your VA with your contact details. Let them know where they can reach you during emergency situations. If you have designated other people as point of contact for specific areas in your business, make sure to inform those people about your VA and vice versa. Determine scenarios when your VA needs to call you or the other points of contact.
Once you’ve gotten yourself a reliable VA and set these things in place, you can free your mind and simply enjoy your vacation.
