Balancing business and school holidays can feel like a tightrope walk for any franchise owner with school,age children. The most effective way to balance business and school holidays is to automate administrative tasks.
Understanding parent guilt
If you have school age children you will know the holidays can be quite the juggling act. You still have the business to run or role to do so how do you best balance both? Parent guilt is the worst. You take time off the business you feel guilt, you focus on it too much and the guilt for your children is even worse. So what is the best route forward.
Leverage technology and automation
Well technology and automation are great now so you can schedule a lot of things to keep ticking over whilst you take some well earned time off with the children. Try and automate admin and posting so you can switch off a little, you can always check in briefly in the evenings and reply to comments etc.
Be kind to yourself
Be kind to yourself, you do not have to do it all, taking time off is natural and it is not a bad thing to switch off and get that out of office message onto your emails, many people slow down or take time off during the school holidays so people understand.
Keep working within your comfort zone
Equally, keep working as much as you are comfortable to. Kids are resilient and showing them how working hard is a skill and the real world, do not feel guilty about having to get things done. Children are allowed to get a little bored, it helps get their imaginations and creative sides develop away from screens.
Utilise team and community support
Pool help, can those within your team or other school parents help each other out? Can you schedule play dates and day out with each other so one of you gets the day to focus whilst the others go out and then visa versa? Can they spend some quality time with their grandparents or family members.
Find flexible holiday clubs
Find great holiday clubs or childcare providers, working in the children’s activities sector myself I know first hand of what amazing holiday clubs are out there, many are very flexible and the children have amazing fun socialising and being active.
Final reminder
So whilst there is not a one size fits all answer to this juggle, there is one key take away and that is , be kind to yourself! Know your limits, do not beat yourself up and when you go away actually switch off. Enjoy the holidays.
