Boss Project is Closing … For Our 1st Summer Break — Here's How We Made it Happen
Episode 651: Show Notes
This year, for the first time ever, Boss Project is taking a summer break! We’ve taken vacations in the past, and while we’ve navigated time off before, this time is different. This year we have a full staff of nine employees, who will all be taking time off, and the company will be closed for two entire weeks! In today’s episode, we walk you through the steps we’ve taken to prepare for our time off and show you how any business can prepare for a substantial and regenerative summer break.
Tuning in you’ll hear us break down how we’ve structured our work and our launches around designated time off, why we chose to do it this way, and what we’re planning to do for our break. We unpack some of the logistical steps we’re taking to maintain communication while we’re off, and why we wanted to prioritize our staff and give everyone a chance to rest and get away from it all. Thank you for joining us as we prepare for our summer break and discuss what it means to be a life-first business!
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Boss Project Is Taking a Summer Break — for the First Time Ever!
We are so excited about our summer break! There was a time when we could not even have imagined doing something like this, which is why we want to share all the steps we took to prepare for this time away. While separate time off for employees and owners is certainly useful, there is something unique about the entire office taking a break. For one thing, many business owners often feel too guilty to take time off if their team isn't also on vacation. And when you shut the whole thing down, it can feel a lot better for everyone.
Why We Wanted to Take a Summer Break
There are a couple of reasons why we wanted to organize time off for the entire team. We have such a fantastic and dedicated staff, and we really wanted to set them up for success by ensuring that we were allowing them enough room to actually take advantage of our Unlimited Paid Time Off (PTO) policy. By organizing time off for the entire staff, we’re ensuring that everyone has a chance to recuperate, regenerate, and rest.
The Number One Reason People Back Out of Taking Time Off
There’s always an excuse to not take time off, whether you’re too busy, too stressed, or you just have too many other things going on. That’s why the first thing we did this year, during our planning phase, was schedule time off on our calendar. Our early scheduling has given us time to plan our launches and stagger our workload around these dates, ensuring that our entire staff can take time off.
How We Planned Our Time Off
One of the first things we had to ask ourselves was “Okay, if we're saying it's time off, what does that actually mean? Does it mean that Boss Project is shut down, or will we still be releasing content? Will we still be accepting applications, and what would that process look like?” To answer these questions, we decided to behave as if the power were out and we couldn’t be available for two weeks. We decided to move anything that needed live support, (including our shop drop!) to when we were back in the office, and, of course, we wouldn’t be having weekly coaching with our clients during this time. We’re also quite ahead on our podcasts, so the good news is that we’ll still have some fresh content for you while we’re away!
How We Are Handling Our Logistics
One of the key things we’ve needed to deal with for our summer break is logistics and communication. As a result, one of the things we’ve been working on is writing a helpful and explanatory response to our emails. Although we’re an openly life-first business, some of the people who contact us won’t be aware of that. So, instead of just having a regular out-of-office email, we’ve taken some time to talk about our values, as well as what we’re doing and why, along with helpful resources and information. We’re sending out this information to all the relevant parties, like our clients, customers, and followers, and it’s also on our website and social media.
Quote This
I think that's the balance of when you take structured time off. You can absolutely choose to balance what parts you’re getting ahead for, and batching and preparing, versus just not doing.
Highlights
Boss Project Is Taking a Summer Break — for the First Time Ever! [0:10:09]
Why We Wanted to Take a Summer Break [0:12:12]
The Number One Reason People Back Out of Taking Time Off [0:15:47]
How We Planned Our Time Off [0:16:15]
How We Are Handling Our Logistics [0:23:07]
ON TODAY’S SHOW
Abagail & Emylee
The Strategy Hour Podcast
We help overwhelmed and creative entrepreneurs break down their Oprah-sized dreams to create a functioning command center to tame the chaos of their business. Basically, we think you’re totally bomb diggity, we’re about to uplevel the shiz out of your business.
KEY TOPICS
Vacation, Summer Break, Holiday, Logistics, Communication
