When I used to dream of starting my own business my head was filled with visions of sandy beaches and poolside days year round. Starting my own business would finally free me from the limitations of quantified PTO and asking for someone else’s permission to rest. If you’ve been in business for any amount of time you know that to-do lists fill up quickly and before you know it, you’re spending more time working than you ever were before you ditched your 9-5. Travel and vacation suddenly become an afterthought and something you have to earn after months of burn out in your business.
If you’re wearily nodding along then it may be time to take your travel plans from a dream on your vision board to a reality!
Here are some of my favorite tips to make planning travel a breeze as a business owner:
Plan your travel in advance
This one may feel like an obvious tip but ironically it’s probably the reason you’re reading this post in the first place. If you’re going to start prioritizing travel and rest in your business you’ve got to commit. And if you’re going to commit, you’ve got to get it on your calendar. Treat travel planning for your business the same way you’d treat your goal planning and marketing campaigns. I personally love to sit down and block out these dates at the top of each year so that I can build any major projects, proposals, or plans around my time away! Will you commit to one destination per quarter? An annual retreat? Whatever you decide — lock in the dates and show up for them just as you would for any other important dates on your calendar.
Book a staycation in your own city
One obstacle that may be standing in the way of your travel plans as a business owner is the overwhelm that comes with arranging long distance travel. Even for non business owners, planning an extravagant trip in another country or even in another state can be a big task to take on (it’s why travel agents exist)! If you’re looking to take more time off in your business, start with a staycation. You can find a boutique hotel or aesthetically pleasing airbnb in your city to get away for a few days just to quiet the mind and feel refreshed again! This may feel like a small first step, but it’s actually a HUGE step towards igniting more creativity and inspiration in your business!
Prepare your business systems for time off
Having systems in place for your business are not only an essential for the day-to-day operations of your business but they can help you maintain a fully unplugged trip! By setting up a CRM like Dubsado, to auto-respond to your inquiries while you’re away, you can help ease any anxiety that business will come to a screeching halt if you take time off.
I also highly recommend social media schedulers if it’s important to keep your marketing and content going while you’re OOO. Planoly is one of my favorite platforms for this! You can schedule feed posts and even plan out your reels and videos with this powerful tool!
Incorporate creative and inspiring projects during your trip
If you have a hard time unplugging completely and simply can’t leave work at home, this tip is for you. Every now and then I like to incorporate my work into my travel plans. This could look like scheduling your next brand photoshoot at the destination you’re planning to visit, spending a few days at a retreat or conference that feels aligned with your values, or finally meeting your long distance client in person! Get creative about ways you can incorporate some business goals that make you feel expansive and abundant during your next trip. Be sure to build in at least one full day of rest following any big plans and make a solid itinerary for any booking to avoid overwhelm.
Set an intention before you go
When you set a clear intention for your trip, you reframe the limiting belief that traveling is something only reserved for when you’re totally burnt out and exhausted. Setting an intention can be a powerful way to start to embrace travel as a productive and necessary thing you must do to keep showing up as the best business owner you can be. Allowing space for travel and time away from your business is just one of many ways you can begin to approach business in a more sustainable way! So you can finally start to enjoy your success and build a more intentional business. Some of my favorite intentions for travel are:
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“I am worthy of rest.”
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“The more I rest, the more I receive.”
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“It is safe for me to invest in time to rest.”
If you found these tips helpful be sure to check out these related episodes of the Musings with Maliquea Podcast:
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