By Dawn Roberts, principal trainer.
If like me, you are the ‘product’ in your business or maybe you just do everything, then being ill means your business effectively stops trading. That’s a really scary place to be. There are insurances out there that cover your costs if you’re ill, but how do you keep your business afloat if you’re not able to work in it for a while?
I developed gallstones a few years ago and if you’ve ever had them, then you’ll know that the pain is horrendous. At first, I thought my appendix was bursting so an ambulance was called, and they were about to give me some drugs (the really good ones) when I asked them if I could just make a call and send a couple of emails. They looked at me as if I was crazy, but any fellow business owners out there will know the feeling!
After a few days in hospital, I realised that I could never again be in the position where I had to worry about work even when I was in the grip of excruciating pain. I had to do something that meant I could take time out of the business without it grinding to a halt. Here's a few tips that I implemented that you may find useful.
Write a ‘how to’ guide -This is an instruction manual for how you do everything in your business. When you perform a task write it down step by step so anyone could follow it. This also helped when I took on my first employee as I used it as their training manual.
Ask for help - Not all businesses need or can afford employees to work in the business day to day but it makes sense to get someone (a friend or a fellow business owner) to understand some of the essential tasks in your business, so that they can help if you need to take some unexpected time out. Before I had people working for me, I enlisted the help of my family and friends (I usually paid them in food and wine!) I usually find people are happy to help if you ask for it.
Don’t cram too much into your week - I get it, you need to make money and as a business owner you work long hours, but not only is this increasing your risk of getting ill in the first place, it also means taking a week out means a lot of work doesn’t get done. There will always be work to do, but does it all need to be done right now?
Spend your time wisely - Could that visit have been a Zoom or even a call? Are you spending too much time doing jobs that don’t really contribute to your goals? If you’re the salesperson in your business, then spending an hour ordering stationary or speaking to suppliers not only costs you the rate you pay yourself per hour, it also costs you the potential sales you could have made. There is a mantra in business: only do what only you can do. Outsource or delegate the tedious, time-consuming stuff and free yourself up to do the tasks that are best done by you. Getting a temp or a VA for a couple of hours a week to do the fiddly bits may be money well spent.
Give it a rest! - Schedule some time out, even if it’s just an afternoon every now and then, to get away from your business (and I mean your mind as well as your body). Not only will it recharge your batteries and help you avoid getting ill through stress and burnout, it also allows your mind space to be creative and you’ll find you go back to work with renewed vigour and fresh ideas.
Being so important and indispensable is not always the best thing for your business or yourself and, while you can’t help being ill or having to take unexpected time off, you can make it less stressful when it happens. Then maybe you won’t be that person in the back of the ambulance, firing off emails as they try to pump morphine into you!