85% of Small Business Owners Work During Vacation Time. Here's Why You Shouldn't

You need an actual break from the grind.

Running a small business is no easy feat. Even if you're able to assign different tasks to contractors and employees, ultimately, it's on you to make sure things are going smoothly. And when issues arise, often you're the only person who's truly equipped to handle them. It's no wonder, then, that so many small business owners find it difficult to take time away from the office. 

But if you're going to take vacation time from work, then you might as well go all in. Yet a recent survey by FreshBooks found that 85% of small business owners continue to work in some capacity when they're supposed to be out of the office on vacation. 

For some, that means checking emails. For others, it means returning important calls and handling administrative tasks. But all told, only 15% of small business owners say they're able to completely cut ties with work when they're on vacation. And that's a big problem.

You need a true mental break

Overseeing a small business can take a lot out of you. Even if you're extremely organized, you might have plenty of weeks when you're working late nights, logging in on weekends, and generally running around trying to get more things done than there's time for. 

That's why it's so important to truly disengage from work when you're on vacation. If you don't give yourself an actual mental break, you might end up coming back from vacation feeling exhausted rather than refreshed. 

In fact, not detaching from work-related matters could lead to a major case of burnout. And burnout can mess with both your mental and physical health.

Many people who struggle with burnout have a hard time sleeping, and their diet and exercise routines can suffer because they're exhausted and not motivated. So all told, while burnout isn't a medical condition itself, it could lead to actual health issues. And you don't deserve that.

How to truly get away

With a little planning and the right strategy, it may be more than possible to take a true vacation as a small business owner -- one that doesn't involve work in any shape or form. First, designate different employees to take over key tasks of yours so you're not left with a massive amount of work to make up once you're back. Assign one person to monitor your voicemail and another to check your emails and deal with them. 

Next, let all of your vendors and contacts know that you'll be out of the office and unreachable for a limited period of time. Chances are, they won't call you if they know you won't be available. 

Finally, train and designate a trusted employee to deal with emergencies. Authorize that person to make decisions on your behalf so you don't have to deal with urgent matters -- or stress out over them -- while you're supposed to be getting a break.

Many small business owners don't even manage to take vacation time in the first place. But if you're going to take vacation, be on vacation. That means fully stepping away from the job, difficult as that may be.