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.

Tim Salau

No, I rarely take vacations. When I do get time to breathe, the vacation is usually a bleisure trip, incorporating business and leisure. As a business owner, I keep things going by taking things one day at a time. I really focus on progress in my business, I try not to ruminate on what happened yesterday, last year, or months ago. Business is about moving forward and positioning yourself for what’s now or next. If you feel like you can’t step away from your business, do the following: cherish your weekends. Seriously, cherish your weekends and use them to breathe, reflect, and invest in your self-improvement. There’s a 52 weeks in the year, that’s 52 weekends to breathe, enjoy your loved ones, and reset for the next week. Cherish your weekend. Read more>>

Charnia Travis

I truly believe in work/life balance. It’s very important to take a step back from the day to day and just breathe. I learned the hard way by constantly staying busy, working fro 6am to Midnight and doing it all over again. Rest before your body makes you rest. There is no reward at the end of the day for the person who was awake the longest. Rest your body, rest your mind and come back the next day or the next 7 with fresh eyes and a renewed spirt. I tell people all of the time. You absolutely CANNOT pour from an empty cup. REST. You deserve. Read more>>

Jared Beasley

The key for entrepreneurs to take regular vacations that are enjoyable is two-fold: proper planning and recognizing that time off actually improves your output and quality of work. Vacations don’t have to be elaborate road trips or adventures abroad. Extended stays at home can be even more refreshing. Read more>>

Natasha Buffo

Yes! I take at least one full month away from work each year. Fortunately, my partner has held onto an 11-month job in the ski industry, because travel is very important to each of us individually, and is a key quality of our relationship. I’m about 1.5 years into being fully self-employed, so I’ve gone through this one month off twice now. Both time were challenging, but this time around I felt more confident to carve out a plan that would make me feel more confident while away, and roll right back into the business when I returned. First of all, think about the ways you can keep your business moving forward passively. For example, I did all the paperwork and set an advertisement, in order to begin my “doing business as” names for Dirt & Tears and The Alpine Analyst prior to the month off. Read more>>

Kelly Watson

Absolutely. The impact of allowing your brain/body to refresh and recharge has been proven repeatedly. While it can feel very counterintuitive, often getting nothing done for a stretch is the best way to get lots done in the long term. A body can only do so much, and when you’re overworked, you function at a much lower capacity level. Beyond that, why work if you can’t have the time to also enjoy the life you’re working so hard to create? I feel like running on empty is a very quick way to burn out, which is far worse for the end goals than taking a few days off to relax. Read more>>

Sara Andolsek

I absolutley take vacations and I recommend this to everyone that has their own business. It took me a long time to understand how to say no, until Covid happened. By saying no I don’t mean literally saying no. I mean, I realized how important it is to take time for myself and family. I didn’t want to say no because I wanted to get bigger and better with my business. Once Covid happened there wasn’t much of a choice to take time off and figure things out. Read more>>

Reshaunna Austin

Yes, I take vacations. Vacations are essential to rejuvenating and feeling whole again, which is necessary to keep the business afloat and be able to provide the services that our customers need. Vacations do not always need to be expensive and time-consuming. Driving an hour to the next town to get away and relax is sometimes all the business owner needs. Read more>>

Dr. Bryan Willis Reese

Absolutely! I believe in experiencing the world so that you share what you’ve seen and observed with others. My most recent trip was to Los Cabos, Mexico. I found my time there relaxing and reflective as I had scheduled massages, nice dinners, exploration of the caves and motorsport activities. Yet, most importantly, my spouse and I had time to share our greatest value of each other and embrace the next chapter of our relationship. Since that trip, I sense that vacations are paramount to resetting the stage for new opportunities and are inherently essential to any business owner that seeks to have a space where new ideas are abound, previous practices are evaluated for effectiveness, and your future is established in the time that you invest in yourself, your spouse, and your business. Read more>>

Stephanie Ferguson

My only advice would be to take the vacation. Please make time for yourself. It is a apart of self care. If you aren’t well physically or mentally, you can’t work or run a business. Take the vacation! Read more>>

Ruby Straaten

Absolutely! I do take vacations! It might be an unpopular opinion, but one of the reasons I started a business was for the freedom and flexibility. However, I’ll admit, stepping away from my business can be so challenging! The first year, whenever I attempted a vacation, I found myself glued to my email, and stressing that my clients would be upsed on the delayed response. But I’ve since learned: To give my clients the service they deserve, I must be stress-free and happy in my personal life, and that means taking those breaks to avoid burnout! Read more>>

 Rachel Allen

My name is Rachel Allen. I work as a Visual Effects Production Manager working on feature films and television shows. I have a BA in Film Production from Cal State University Northridge, and an MFA in Photography from The Academy of Art University in San Francisco. Working in visual effects sort of stumbled in my lap, and come to find out I really liked it and was pretty good at it. Read more>>