The kids are out of school. Vacations are being planned. The air conditioning is on full blast. And productivity is… not what it was a few weeks ago.
Can you identify?
It’s hard to stay productive during the summer, when you not only have a lot going on, you also have more fun things to do with your time than work! And one of the benefits of being an entrepreneur is that you have the luxury of taking time off to go on an ice cream run or head to the beach.
It is possible to embrace summer while also keeping your business running. So here are 5 tips for staying productive, even during your summer “vacation.”
1. Let things run on auto-pilot. There are so many tools these days to automate your marketing, there’s no reason to stop, even while you’re on vacation. Schedule a couple of blog posts in advance (this is a great time to use that guest post you’ve been hanging on to) and use tools to automate your social media:
*Hootsuite is the original social media scheduling tool. Paid accounts are affordable and come with a ton of features.
*Buffer is a fast-growing competitor to Hootsuite for good reason. They even suggest posts just for you – with all of their accounts, including free! And they recently added Pinterest image scheduling to their toolbox.
*ScheduGram is the only Instagram scheduling app available right now.
*Facebook recently announced a schedule post option from right within your business page.
2. Plan what really needs to get done. Take a look at what you want to accomplish in your business by October. Yes, October! Then plan backwards to figure out what needs to be done this summer so you aren’t surprised when September rolls around. Schedule out those summer needs when it works for you – maybe that’s an intense few weeks during July or maybe it’s Mondays through Thursdays, taking all of your Fridays off.
3. Use technology (then put down the phone). I’m sure I don’t have to tell you that it’s almost too easy to work from anywhere now. Use that to your advantage to communicate with your team members or keep tabs on things. Then check out and take a mental vacation.
4. Delegate. Taking things off your to do list and putting them on someone else’s is the best way to keep your business moving, even while you take off. Hire an expert team to do what you hate doing in half the time it takes you. Schedule a complimentary call with me today to talk about how we can make your summer easier.
5. Close the “shop.” It’s okay to give yourself a real vacation, even if you’re a one-woman or one-man shop. Work can stop for a while. Just let your clients know in advance. You might be surprised… I find it refreshing and honest when I hear someone is going to fully take a few weeks off, don’t you? Your clients might actually admire you more for it!
Have a great, productive summer!
WANT TO USE THIS ARTICLE IN YOUR EZINE OR NEWSLETTER? You can. Just be sure to include this blurb: Tracey Osborne is an expert Project Manager and Virtual Assistant. As CEO of Business Solutions Made Simple, a multi-VA company, Tracey and her team who assist high achieving entrepreneurs in surpassing their goals by managing the behind the scenes operations. By removing the stress of daily operations, Tracey and team allows her clients the focus and freedom to do whatever it is that they do best…thus resulting in heightened profit and growth. Grab her FREE audio, The Busy Entrepreneur’s Secret Weapon at http://www.businesssolutionsmadesimple.com/the-busy-entrepreneurs-secret...