Take Time Away From Your Business Without It Causing Issues
“How do I balance travel and holiday commitments with the normal demands of my business?”
This question underscores the fundamental necessity of two things:
Deciding whether or not you want to operate a lifestyle-led business.
Regardless of your choice, creating systems, standard operating procedures, outsourcing and/or delegating, and automating where applicable.
Why?
By definition, a lifestyle-led business is structured to support the life you want and allow your business to create the time and financial freedom you need to live how you desire. In this case, being able to take time for holiday commitments and/or travel would in no way impact the successful operations of your business because you've set it up to work with you not being in the business 24/7.
No matter what type of company you want to run, creating the right systems, and bringing on the right people (contractors, w-2s, and/or hiring outside service providers) is essential to allow you to focus as much as possible on the things that are in your highest and best interest to be doing (the things that bring in revenue and at which you are the most gifted and most enjoy to do are typically what fall into this category).
A lot of fear comes up for people when they think initially about taking time away from their business. If that's the case for you, start by doing micro-experiments where you take short-stints of time away (an afternoon or a long weekend) to start. See what happens. What worked and what didn't? Where do you need to improve your systems to support you doing that again and then for a longer period of time?
Until you can be away from your business for any real amount of time, you don't truly have a business, you have a very consuming job. You certainly can't sell a company that requires your full attention (if that's a goal). If you're looking for freedom or flexibility, that also doesn't come from being tied to your work.
I'd suggest you watch this episode of your business hotline that shares some really helpful tips and tools to support you in taking however much time you desire away from your business.