Business

How to take time off from your business (when you ARE the business)

by LEE LAM, Founder and Managing Director, Your Startup Partner

There is a lot of freedom and flexibility when running your own business, but as any owner will tell you, you never fully get to switch off. Your brain constantly reminds you of the ever-growing tasks with the constant worry of “Well, if I don’t do it, who will?”

Never is this felt more than during the summer months, as children leave school for their summer breaks and you try to juggle keeping them amused with the demands of your business. And for many, you may have gone into selfemployment specifically to be able to enjoy this time with your children, being able to manage your own diary. But it’s easy to fall into being controlled by your diary instead.

So how do you take a break and get some well-deserved rest and - most important - fun?

I have three different tips to help:

1. Build breaks in. If you try to get your work finished you will never get there. Running a business is constant and so you must factor in time away from your desk from the very beginning. To enjoy the sun, maybe you could schedule in a 30-minute coffee in the garden, or you use a 6pm dog walk as your daily ‘commute’ to transition between work and family. You will also be less likely to allow things to draw time away from you.

2. Prepare your customers – no-one expects you

to be there 365 days of the year, but it can feel like it. Tell them your planned days off, and they can ask questions beforehand or know when they can expect a response to any that make come up during your downtime.

3. Tell other people. If you tell someone else that you are taking time off, you can use it to hold accountability – after all, do you want to admit that you haven’t taken the time off?

Try these tips and you can enjoy your time away from your business just that little bit more.

Award-winning!

The winners of the 2022 Queen’s Awards for Enterprise have been announced celebrating the achievements of UK businesses. This year, 232 businesses representing every part of the UK and a range of sectors have been recognised by Her Majesty The Queen as among the best in the country. They included World of Books, 4 Mental Health, The Edinburgh Remakery and Pearson Engineering.

8 reasons why networking is essential for your business

BY CHAS JORDAN, BROMLEY BUSINESS NETWORK

1. Brand awareness – you increase your exposure and boost your brand, making you front of mind when it comes to your industry. 2. Generate ideas – mixing with other business owners offers the chance to exchange ideas and share best practices. 3. Create new opportunities – you’ll be in the best place to hear first-hand about new announcements, appointments and opportunities. 4. Knowledge is power - the more people you talk to, the more you learn, meaning you’re giving your business the best chance of success.

5. Confidence booster

– speaking in front of a crowd can be daunting, but the more you show up, the more your confidence grows.

6. Making friends –

meeting like-minded people with shared interests offers the chance to make friends rather than just business acquaintances. 7. Support from above – mingling with authoritative individuals and people of influence can catapult your visibility, making you more noticeable. 8. Ask the expert – most events feature guest speakers, so you’ll learn something new, and have the opportunity to pick the brains of experts – a win-win!

Chas Jordan