This Podcast Is Episode Number 503, And It's About Reclaiming Your Time And Switching Off During The Holidays Small construction company owners like you already have a time-consuming and challenging job running your business. If you're working on weekdays, you usually need the weekend to catch up on paperwork, pay bills, and manage any tasks you didn't get to during the week.  But this weekend is Christmas, and with it comes time to relax, focus on family and friends and take stock of what is essential in life. Phone calls from employees dealing with a minor crisis will pull your focus from your family, or your Christmas dinner will be taken over by business talk. Like the merry bells of Christmas, your cell phone will constantly chime with the sounds of urgent text messages and emails that must be dealt with. Clients will need your attention. So, if you've been waiting for a sign or permission to pause, this post could be the one you're waiting for. It's easy to let the construction company take over your personal life, but as a small business owner, it's vital that you get some time away from work. Here are some tips for helping you switch off during the holidays. 1. Shut down entirely for the week If your business can be shut down for a week, consider closing from Christmas to New Year. Your employees will love the time off, and you won't be Small construction company owners like you already have a time-consuming and challenging job running your business. If you're working on weekdays, you usually need the weekend to catch up on paperwork, pay bills, and manage any tasks you didn't get to during the week.  But this weekend is Christmas, and with it comes time to relax, focus on family and friends and take stock of what is essential in life. Phone calls from employees dealing with a minor crisis will pull your focus from your family, or your Christmas dinner will be taken over by business talk. Like the merry bells of Christmas, your cell phone will constantly chime with the sounds of urgent text messages and emails that must be dealt with. Clients will need your attention. So, if you've been waiting for a sign or permission to pause, this post could be the one you're waiting for. It's easy to let the construction company take over your personal life, but as a small business owner, it's vital that you get some time away from work. Here are some tips for helping you switch off during the holidays. 1. Shut down entirely for the week If your business can be shut down for a week, consider closing from Christmas to New Year. Your employees will love the time off, and you won't be bothered by urgent texts about something that went wrong at the office. This time is generally not as productive for workers, as they all want to get home, be with loved ones, and celebrate the season. Just make sure you give your clients some notice that you're closing up. Good clients will respect your decision and even encourage it. 2. Have someone trained to deal with your absence A big headache for small business owners is constant calls from employees who can't carry out basic tasks or make decisions. If you plan on taking time off but are leaving the business open, have someone senior available to answer questions or take over duties other employees can't. Ensure employees are prepared for situations that could arise but can fix on their own. Can they use someone else's computer if theirs dies? If a client calls with a crisis, which staff members can handle each situation? Assign one or two people—not you—to contact people in case staff needs assistance and give those two people strict instructions about when they can contact you. You don't need phone calls on your days off because someone doesn't know how to work the coffee machine. 3. Resist the urge to plan meetings during this time When a client comes to you just before you take your days off and requests a meeting over the holidays, it can be difficult to resist that...