As a business owner it’s easy to feel like your work is never done – because no matter how much you do, there is always more that could theoretically be done. Many business owners we’ve spoken with also feel that they have a responsibility to be available to their team and that if they step away they are putting an undue burden on their team. So, we wanted to hear from a broad range of business owners on whether they take vacations and we’ve shared some of their responses below.

Candy Masuch

I not only take vacations, I prioritize them! I work very hard and am busy almost 7 days a week. I want to see as much of the world as I possibly can in my lifetime and I love to explore my own city when I can. I very much disagree with the “American Way” of working ourselves to the point of exhaustion and not prioritizing work/life balance. Read more>>

Rachel Loague

For a long time, I would work, work, work non-stop. There was no time to breathe, no time to think…just time to work. After some time, I came to the understanding that I was suffering from burnout. I put my workload to the side and spent a week in Dubai. I didn’t realize how much I had neglected myself to do my overwhelming workload. I didn’t take vacations before, but now I intend on doing it once every three months. Read more>>

Keveena Slater.

DO I TAKE VACATIONS!?! AHA hell yea I do!! I strongly believe that time off is just as important when you are a business owner as the profits and sales. I have had those times when I worked, worked, WORKED, just to pay bills and stay afloat I was more stressed than ever cause I’m constantly asking myself when do I have time for me? I was always tired, body aches, and didn’t have time for my children and it was really bringing a lot of tension in my house ,ya know, so i started taking time to myself and my children. Read more>>

Jean Burke

The thing I like about being self employed is having the flexibility in my life to take time off when something important comes up. For example, in September, a family member was getting married and I was able to be away from my business for a week to be with them and enjoy their celebration. In October, my adult son moved from Colorado to Cincinnati with his partner and I had the freedom to go visit them for 5 days and still tend to my business online while I was away from home. This flexibility to do these things is what I like about being my own boss and making the rules on how the business flows. Read more>>