Shop Owner’s need downtime to put things in proper perspective

[Joe Marconi]

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[jeffa1958]

I have found 14 days are required to really feel like I have left. I never call in or check cameras when I’m gone. If your people can’t take care of things for 14 days you are employing the wrong people. I have taken three one month long vacations, those were wonderful. You come back and everything looks and sounds different. After your back for a half day it feels like I never left, but my attitude is better for doing it. I get really bitchy if I don’t leave. February I spent 16 days in Palm Springs, CA. What a wonderful place. 

[don.dd]

Joe,

thankyou for reminding us of this important topic - the keyword which spoke to me is "perspective".

[gandgautorepair]

Just got back from a 3.5 week trip, here for 4 days then gone again for another 10. Yep, if the goal of business ownership isn't to have the free time that we need to do the things we like to do then we definitely have the wrong perspective. Granted, we have to pay our dues, and it doesn't happen overnight. Thankfully, I've paid my dues.   

[Andrew Ross]

Being able to vacation is a learned skill. Some folks are naturally better at disconnecting then others, but I agree it's important to be able to let your mind rest. I would imagine that there are quite a few shop owners rolling their eyes at the prospect of taking weeks away from their shop. To them I would suggest starting small: take a long weekend off, then work up to a few days during the week, then a week "staycation", then a week away. 

Pretty quickly you'll learn that your staff will fill in most of the gaps and put out those little fires themselves. 

That will give you confidence to take longer vacations and disconnect more. 

The irony is that this will likely help you be more successful as when you come back you'll be more comfortable leaving more day-to-day tasks with staff and be able to focus on more big picture initiatives. 

So learn to vacation; your family and your accountant will thank you!

 

[Gastankman]

Life is short. I take long vacations and expect my employees to also take time off. When questioned years ago by an old timer why I was open on Saturdays I replied that I didn't want to lose the business. His answer was " how can you lose something you didn't have in the first place"? He also said if I can't make it on 5 days then I was doing something wrong. That was 15 years ago and I have not been open on Saturdays since then. As a very specialized shop I can get away with this easier than most shops. 

We also take advantage of 3-4 day weekends during any holidays and pay all the employees their full pay. They also get 3 weeks paid vacation time per year although only 1 week at a time can be taken during a 30 day period. I let them use my condo on Lake Michigan free of charge whenever they want. I do not pay sick days and expect them to stay late if needed which only happens 3-5 times per year. Needless to say, most of my employees have been with me 10 years and 2 of them over 20 years. 

I had always said to myself that if I ever had a shop of my own that I would treat my employees the way I wanted to be treated. 

 

Edited May 13, 2018 by Gastankman

[JustTheBest]

Joe, you're right on the money! I hate to admit it, but I suffer these same "workaholics"symptoms - and it's nothing to be proud of. The one thing I keep repeating to myself is (and I don't know where I heard it or who said it), but it goes something like "Great music is made by the spaces in between the notes". 

Downtime is important - and hope yours was good! Thanks for that inspiration too!

Hope this helps!

Matthew Lee
"The Car Count Fixer"
Join me at "The Car Count Hackers" on YouTube