Entrepreneurs are known to be incredibly hard workers. It’s this quality that tends to be the backbone of their success, as it drives them to keep going and be successful in their ventures. And while that energy, drive, passion, and strong work ethic are great for business, it can be difficult to balance it with personal time and time spent with the family. Just because it may be after hours, it doesn’t mean business comes to a standstill, which entrepreneurs then try to juggle.
So, what happens if you’re a business owner, an entrepreneur, and it’s a family day out? How can you keep up with work clients while still being present and part of your family day? Here are some practical tips and steps you can use that will help you to enjoy family time without having to completely shut out your work clients.
Be Honest and Upfront with the Family
A good place to start is by being honest and upfront with the family. Let them know that you are all-in when it comes to family day, and you will be present in the moment and having fun, but that there may be a time where you need to hit the pause button to respond to a work issue. You can reassure them that you will work through these situations as quickly as possible, and that it doesn’t have to alter the course of the day.
If you operate your own business and you don’t have any other staff, taking a full day off and away from clients just isn’t realistic. It’s best to be honest so that the family is not only understanding, but that everyone is on the same page.
Use an App to Communicate with Clients While on the Go
Just because you aren’t sitting at your desk in front of the computer, doesn’t mean clients shouldn’t be able to reach you. Giving them a way to stay in touch can actually decrease the amount of stress and anxiety you may feel taking a day off, and of course give them a way to contact you so they don’t feel left on their own if they have questions or issues.
A perfect solution is an app that allows for instant messaging. While your first impulse may be to download WhatsApp, it may not actually be the best option. Take a look at Telegram as a way to communicate with clients instead. Telegram is safe and reliable, and the chats are protected with encryption so you don’t have to worry about sensitive material getting out there. There are even chats that will in fact self-destruct if the user chooses to. Check this post from Setapp that looks at the benefits of Telegram vs. WhatsApp. Whichever app you choose, Setapp will allow you to sync it across all your devices, which is handy when you’re on the go. You don’t have to worry about bringing your laptop with you and interrupting family day; instead, you can quickly respond to messages as they pop up.
Have Material and Data Handy that You May Require
If your day with the family takes you out of the house, then it’s also a good idea to have any material or data you may require with you. Obviously, you don’t want to carry around paper documents and files, so instead digital files are an excellent option. With so much being done digitally and being stored in the cloud, going paperless has never been easier.
Set Specific Blocks for Work During the Day
If you’re finding it too difficult to constantly be checking messages and getting back to clients as they contact you, try setting up blocks of work time instead. You could break it down into one session mid-morning and then one in the afternoon. Maybe you could tell your family you need 30 minutes to go through all your messages uninterrupted and then you will be able to give them your full attention again. This approach works well if your contact with clients isn’t usually pressing or time-sensitive. Responding to them a couple hours after the fact isn’t a big deal in those cases.
Connect with Important Clients Before Your Family Outing
Another tip is to ward off issues in advance – in other words, make sure there is no reason for your clients to contact you during your family day out. This takes a bit more effort but it can be well worth it. Try touching base with all your important clients before your family day and make sure there are no potential issues, which means they won’t even notice if you aren’t around for a full day. Chances are you won’t have to contact every client, just take a look at what issues may be pressing that week and try to address as much as possible before your day off.
If it makes things easier, you can even let your clients know you will be out of the office on that day and encourage them to speak to you in advance. You could send out an email to your top clients to give them notice.
Wake Up Early and Get a Head Start
The final tip is to get up early on the day of your family outing and address any client issues then. If you can wrap work up by early to mid-morning, then you are left to enjoy the rest of the day without having to give any thought to work and clients at all.
Giving yourself permission to step away and enjoy a family day outing is something that you and your family deserve. It’s something that should be done guilt-free and in a way that you live in the moment and are present with your family. With that said, these practical and simple tips can make it easier and less stressful for entrepreneurs to enjoy the day out of the office. Have fun!
To be fair, you should probably find a way to have the day off from work for your family day, and not just because it’s nice for your family, but because it’s also important for your own wellbeing
This is a very good point!
These are really helpful tips. I try to get up early and get as much done as I can before I go out for the day. I check my phone throughout the day and make a note of things to do later and respond to anything that is urgent but I try to just be in the moment with my family.
Those are some great tips too.