Do you struggle to take time off from your business?
When you start a business you do have to make sacrifices and working all the weekends and missing out on family events can be one of the toughest sacrifices!
But you can find ways to take those important weekends off!
And if your business is going to be sustainable and you don’t want to burnout and resent it – you need to find a way to take that time off!
But how? Especially if don’t have the money or enough customers to hire someone yet?
5 Ways You Can Start To Take Time Off In Your Pet Sitting or Dog Walking Business
#1. Work on your mindset
Wait what..? How is mindset gonna get you a weekend off?!
Without it, you’ll fall into telling yourself all the stories about why you can’t have a weekend off!
Start by focusing on why you need and deserve to build some weekends off into your business.
#2. Write Down Ways You Could Take a Weekend Off in Your Business Right Now!
Yes! Right now!
Some of them will not be feasible for you and that’s ok!
But you may be surprised with what you come up with and some of those ‘leftfield’ ideas could just work with a little flexibility and planning!
#3. Have Some On Demand Help That Could Cover You
You could consider utilising the services of a Virtual Assistant so you can take a break from the phones and admin in your business.
Maybe you have a family member that can help out from time to time or someone who is looking for very casual work.
It’s always good to have a backup in place for those times when you have no choice but to take time off.
#4. Work with Other Small Pet Sitting and Dog Walking Business In Your Area
Instead of seeing every other Pet Sitting Business as your competition, look for the ones you align with and create alliances.
Obviously you’ll want to make sure any business you associate with has the same values, integrity and professional business set up that you have.
But setting up these alliances can be hugely beneficial for taking planned time off, emergencies and even referring customers to each other when you’re too busy or not quite the right fit.
#5. Plan and Commit to Hiring Staff
You get to decide when it will be the right time for you to hire staff.
It could be at a certain level of turnover or number of customers.
You could choose to give up your day job and be your own first full time hire, or you could choose to keep the day job a little longer and hire some staff and grow your business that way.
So act like the boss you are from day one (even when the only person you’re bossing is you!) and make a plan for when you’ll hire staff and start to build regular time off into your business.
And having the plan that you’re committed to and watching the progress and milestones you reach along the way will keep you going until you get there!
