STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. – With the 2016 winter holiday season arriving, the small-business mentors at SCORE Staten Island are urging entrepreneurs to recognize the importance of scheduling their next vacation.

Being your own boss has many rewards, but long hours and merciless work can affect your emotional well-being. This can result in burnout, a condition that may take a toll on you mentally and physically.

As a business owner, you can safeguard your well-being by taking some time off to rest and refocus.

But there’s a problem: Many business owners are afraid to leave, even for a short period. And with the holiday season demanding longer workdays for many, some business owners fear that something will go wrong or they’ll miss out on that next big opportunity – even when things begin to quiet down.

With so much to do, how can an entrepreneur ever relax?

“For one thing, make sure you pencil in some vacation time on your calendar,” advises John Amodio, SCORE Staten Island first vice chair and business mentor. “The holidays come and go, but you don’t want your good health to leave, as well. Settle down and take some much-needed time off.”

According to an AmEx survey, business owners often see these four concerns as vacation blockers:

• There is no other competent person to leave in charge and others will make the wrong decisions.

• An important client or customer will not receive appropriate service.

• The business will miss a new opportunity.

• An operational breakdown will occur without anyone to solve the problem.

However, you can schedule a refreshing getaway with some careful planning, Amodio says.

FINDING A SOLUTION

To ease the path to a vacation, Amodio and Staten Island SCORE suggest following these three steps:

• Delegate responsibility. “For example, draw up a list of worst-case scenarios and brief those in charge on the possibilities and chief concerns of each customer,” Amodio said.

Delegating is a good idea even if you’ve already built vacation time into your schedule. If you’re suddenly faced with a huge workload or an emergency that would usually require your attention, you’ll have the confidence of knowing your staff can handle these important tasks. That gives you the freedom to step out and back in without your business missing a beat.

• Tell key clients or customers in advance of any extended time away you are planning.

• Introduce your stand-ins to clients or customers and express your confidence in their ability to handle any issues that may arise.

For more small business management ideas, SCORE Staten Island may be reached by phone at 718-727-122, or emailed via info@SCORESI.org.

About SCORE Staten Island

SCORE Staten Island is dedicated to fostering a vibrant small-business community within its borough by providing cost-free mentoring and education to both aspiring and established entrepreneurs. Headquartered at 1855 Victory Blvd., in the Staten Island neighborhood of Castleton Corners, the organization is Chapter 476 of the nationwide SCORE, a nonprofit association and resource partner with the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA).

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