When was the last time you took a Vacation?

All work and no play…

The harder you work, the more you need a vacation. That’s why this article’s target audience is the hard-working owner(s) of home care agencies. The question in the title of this article isn’t meant to be rhetorical. We understand that, as an owner, it’s hard to find a “good” time to take time off. Heck, it’s hard to take an afternoon off, let alone a week or two out of the office. After all, you serve your clients 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Even when you aren’t on-call, something always seems to come up

We know the work you do is incredibly important. However, that doesn’t mean you should be consumed by it all day, every day, week after week. It’s unhealthy to be under the constant stress and pressure of running your agency, with no breaks in sight. To be the best agency owner you can, you have to allow yourself to take breaks. These breaks should provide the opportunity to be completely shut off from running your agency, unless a dire emergency strikes. Instead, during these breaks, focus on taking care of yourself and spending time with loved ones.

In the Harvard Business Review article “The Data-Driven Case for Vacation – Harvard Business Review” the authors of the article, Shawn Achor and Michelle Gielan, make the case that taking a vacation makes employees more productive. We believe that research applies to all levels of management.

Taking time away from the office can help you and your business stay healthy

Your physical, mental, emotional, and even spiritual needs require rest and time to recuperate. This doesn’t mean that you need to go on an elaborate vacation; the time off can be a “staycation.” These stay-at-home vacations can be simple. Perhaps you finally read your favorite author’s new novel, binge watch reality tv, or visit a few hole-in-the-wall restaurants you found online.

Now that you’ve agreed to take a vacation, you need a plan in place! Your plan will help prepare your office staff for your absence. It should include ensuring that the right Operations and Procedures are in place. Also, a solid plan will help your admins know how to escalate and handle issues that may arise while you’re away. In addition, you may want to consider engaging an outside party to serve in an interim management role for your agency as temporary Director of Operations.

A consulting group like Senior Care Business Advisors can help strengthen your Policies, Procedures and Operations structure, as well as serve as temporary Directors of Operations to handle caregiver and client escalations and resolve them while you’re away, leaving you free to enjoy your vacation.

For more information on the services that we can provide, visit our website www.seniorcareba.com or call me at 678-340-3649. I’d love to set up some time to provide a Free Consultation and determine how we can best serve your needs. Our team looks forward to working with you and providing personalized consulting for personalized care!