Going on Holiday When You Are the Business

When you're running your own business with no staff, taking a proper holiday isn't easy. I'm not talking about a couple of days tagged onto a weekend — a real one. The kind where you actually switch off, recharge, and come back with a clearer head instead of a longer to-do list.

I'm not going to suggest you go cold turkey from your phone. That's not going to happen for any of us, and to be honest, the anxiety of being completely unreachable tends to cancel out any relaxation benefit. But there are a number of things you can do before you leave that make a genuine difference — to your peace of mind and to the experience your clients have while you're gone.

Let Clients Know — Well in Advance

Don't leave this until the week before. Give your clients a heads-up at least two to four weeks ahead, depending on how closely you work together. A quick, friendly message is all it takes — let them know the dates you'll be away, when you'll be back, and who (if anyone) they can contact in an urgent situation.

If you have any ongoing projects, use this as a prompt to get ahead of any handover points or to agree on what can wait until you return.

Set Up Your Out-of-Office (and Mean It)

An out-of-office message isn't just a courtesy — it buys you breathing room. Set one on your email and any other channels clients tend to reach you on. Make it warm but clear: include your return date, set expectations about response times, and if there's anything time-sensitive they can do while you're away, tell them. It will take about five minutes to write and saves you from guilt-checking your inbox every hour.

Tie Up Loose Ends Before You Leave

Spend the week before your holiday working through a "clear the decks" list:

• Deliver anything that's due during your time away early if you can

• Chase any outstanding invoices — ideally before you leave

• Get sign-off on anything that might need a client decision while you're gone

• Schedule any social media posts or newsletters so they go out on time without you touching a thing

The goal is to leave with no loose threads dangling that will nag at you on the beach.

Set a Clear "Emergency" Boundary

One thing that helps enormously is deciding in advance what counts as an emergency — and communicating it. Most things that feel urgent to clients aren't actually urgent. If you're not going to be completely unreachable, give clients a clear route for genuine crises only (a specific email address, a WhatsApp message marked urgent) and let everything else wait.

This isn't about being unavailable. It's about protecting the time you've worked hard to take.

Think About a Backup Contact

You don't have to go it completely alone. Another freelancer or VA you trust can act as a point of contact for clients while you're away — even if they're just triaging emails and letting people know you'll be in touch on your return.

Prepare a Simple "I'm Back" Plan

Before you leave, map out your first day back. Not because you need more to-do lists — but because knowing you have a plan makes it easier to actually step away. A simple list of: check emails, respond to anything urgent, follow up on outstanding invoices, pick up where projects left off.

When you know you have a re-entry plan, you don't have to carry it all in your head while you're meant to be relaxing.

One Final Thought

Taking time off as a one-person business isn't a luxury — it's part of running a sustainable operation. The business that never lets you rest is one that's running you, not the other way around.

You've built something. It can hold together for a week or two. Trust it — and enjoy the holiday you've earned.