As the temperature skyrockets above 90 degrees, I can’t help but to keep singing the lyrics from song “Summertime” by The Jamies. Between long days in the sun and tranquil evenings watching the fireflies play, it’s easy to fall into a slower pace during the summer. But as business owners, we have to be careful not to slow down too much. Momentum we’ve built up over the winter and spring months shouldn’t be lost to too many nights relaxing on the front porch swing.
So how does a business owner find a healthy balance? There are a few things you can do to keep the business moving while you and your staff enjoy hard-earned time to relax.
Of course you set goals for the year – but when was the last time you stopped and did a thorough evaluation of which goals are being met, and which need more attention? Is your revenue and operating income in the line with where you expected to be by now? Given where you are today, what will it take to keep the rest of the year on track so by December 31st your goals have all been met or exceeded? Implementing changes and bolstering what’s already working will ensure you get where you want to go.
Many people use the summer to take a vacation. But while staffers are out, someone else needs to take over their job in most cases. Are your procedures well documented so that someone else can just step in and do the work? Vacation season is the perfect time to test your documentation procedures, information flow and communication processes. Paying attention to these important factors now could save you weeks of trouble later.
The point is, stick with going for your goals. Even though it’s summer and you want to relax, going the extra mile to get what you want often results in just that – getting what you want!