5 steps to an easy getaway (from work and your blog)
every year we go on at least 2 vacations, one in the spring and one in the fall. and every year i freak out like 2 days before because i basically didn't prepare my business for me to leave. i'm still adjusting from the corporate world where i could clock out at 5 and leave all of the work i'd miss for a week up to co-workers. my sites keep running… and i forget there is nobody around to do that work, crazy right? so i'm finally at a point where i've stressed myself out enough times to the point of tears and all nighters, that i know it's not how i want to spend the days before we leave on a relaxing vacation. i think i've figured out a loose timeline for myself that should work (this will be the first successful shot at it as we are leaving next week… we'll see!). so i thought i would write it down for 2 reasons. one, to help out any blogger/business owners out there that struggle with the same thing, and two, to keep myself accountable. here are the 5 steps i'm taking to an easy getaway.
about 3 weeks prior, i make a list of guest post ideas and start sending out those emails. i like to give people about 2 weeks to get a post together… the more time the better if you are asking for a favor! and then that leaves 1 week for you to finalize and schedule the posts. i usually like to give the week of guest posts a theme so that they all tie together… and make it simple! i really hate asking people to do favors for this blog, i know how valuable all of our time is and i know how hard it is to take the time to do something for free. i think i came up with something you guys will like this time but was still very simple for my guests to pull together. i guess you can let me know after they go live;)
then, at about 2 weeks out, i announce my days "out of office" to potential clients and customers (if you have a shop). let them know that orders will be delayed whether that means production or shipping… you obviously wouldn't be able to accommodate any type of rush orders, so this is usually not a problem for most.
1 week before, i start gathering and preparing guests posts, shooting/writing/scheduling any posts i will be putting up myself, finish and ship orders, tie up loose ends on emails, and send any projects/posts due. i've totally been the one furiously typing posts away on the plane then hoping we have some sort of internet connection once we get there. that is not the kind of stress anyone wants when they arrive to the hotel on their first day! the pool bar sounds far more fun than trying to schedule a blog post on your hotel's snail pace internet.
sometime in the week before i leave, i also make sure that things are ready to go when i get back… for example, you probably aren't going to download pictures from your vacation the night you get home and have a blog post up for the next morning. so schedule something for 1-2 days after you are back, giving you time to adjust to real life again. i also make sure that if there are supplies i need for projects i need to jump on when i'm home (place card calligraphy, decor supplies, etc.), those get ordered to arrive, or picked up at the store so they are waiting for me.
and lastly a day or 2 before, i follow up on pending projects to let my clients know it'll be a bit before their next update, and set all of my out of office emails (i always do this early, mostly as an fyi, in case anybody needs something from me asap).
if all goes as planned, i can take the day before the trip to actually pack (thoughtfully) and not through every single thing in my bag because i'm too scattered think about it.
what are your tips for a clean escape from work?