How to survive the summer holidays and keep your small business running at the same time

One of the biggest perks of running your own business is flexibility, but nothing tests it quite like the school summer holidays. 

For some, it's six weeks of quality time with the kids. For most, it's the ultimate juggle: keeping a business running and clients happy, while keeping children entertained, fed and watered.  

If you're already feeling frazzled, or this is your first summer since starting your business, fear not! We asked seasoned micro-business owners for their top tips on making it to September with your sanity intact. 

Start as early as you can. Map out the weeks ahead: what childcare you'll need, what activities you'd like to do, and who's available when. 

If childcare is shared with a partner, have a shared diary for the whole summer with every single commitment recorded and review it at the start of every week.  

Don't overcommit. Now is not the time to demonstrate your amazing multi-tasking prowess. Give yourself a break and make sure downtime is blocked out too.  

Whatever you decide, make sure everyone knows what's expected of them. 

Wes West, owner of Jolt animation and design studio in Oxfordshire, said: "Have a plan with your partner before the holidays start. Make sure you know who's got the kids on each day to avoid arguments about who's busiest. You need to work as a team." 

Frankie Tortora, a graphic designer and founder of Doing It For The Kids, a community for freelance parents, says it's about working out what you really need to get done. 

"What deadlines do you have? What are the essential marketing tasks you need to keep up with? What stuff can you put on the back burner?" 

Once you've been running your business for a few years, you'll get a feel for quiet and busy periods, and can build summer planning into your annual cycle.  

If you’re used to working standard office hours, be ready to change things up. Could you work extra hours early in the morning, or later in the evening once the kids are in bed? 

Podcast producer Charles Commins, of Warrington-based Vibrant Sound Media, plans to start work at 4pm each day over the holidays, alternating hours with his partner: "When she gets home from work, I'll head off to my office to start work myself."  

Linda Harrison, a PR specialist in Yorkshire, prefers the other end of the day: "I find that if I start work super early, it's very helpful. I love working while the rest of the house is still asleep and my brain is at its most awake." 

The reality for most small business owners over the summer holidays is that you’ll be fitting work into smaller pockets of time, spread across the entire day – from early in the morning to late at night. Getting into this mindset early, rather than thinking you will have ‘work days’ and ‘days with the children’ can be helpful.  
 
Remember, activities don’t have to be full days out. You can work in the morning and still get out for some fun in the afternoon, or vice versa.  

Alternatively, if it works for you, reducing to a four-day week so everybody knows you are consistently not available on one day of the week may work. 
 
Clear communication with clients is key to the success of this approach. Set your clients and suppliers’ expectations up front and stick to it. 

Thomas Pawley, a graphic designer from Norwich, said: “Be as open and transparent with clients as possible. Reassure them that the work will get done even though your work hours may differ. Chances are they are also juggling childcare.” 

Grandparents, friends, neighbours: lean on your network. Playdates can be a lifesaver too. If your kids are old enough to play independently, having someone else around to help entertain them makes a big difference. For younger children, consider "swap" days with other parents or entrepreneurs in your community, where you look after their kids one day and they have yours on another. 
 
Or, while it’s obviously not a solution for the entire summer, could your children come to work with you for the odd day/hour or two? If you don't have a separate workspace, could they sit alongside you with their own activities? 

Frankie said: "Depending on their age and interests, you could get them to sit with you and draw a cartoon, make a video, or write a story. If they're sat next to you, they'll feel involved too, and it can be a really nice way to spend some productive time together." 

Summer can be a tricky time for all small business owners, not just parents. It often feels like the rest of the world is off having fun, while enquiries and sales slow down and social media goes quiet. Try not to judge your business's success, or make big decisions, during this period. 
 
If your circumstances allow it, these quieter weeks can be a good time to focus on working ‘on’ your business, rather than ‘in’ it. Is there a training course you’ve been meaning to do for a while? Could you spend some time working on that marketing strategy you’ve been putting to the bottom of your to-do list while dealing with the day-to-day demands? 

Flexible online courses are great for fitting into any spare pockets of time you might have. Help to Grow: Management Essentials takes just two hours and is broken down into a series of bite-sized modules which can help you return to work filled with clarity and confidence come September. 

Every business owner we spoke to agreed on one thing - for most people, it's simply not possible to work at term-time pace. 

Linda said: "I try not to take on any projects that look stressful or too demanding over the summer, and I always take a week or two off where the laptop stays at home. Don't try to do everything, that way madness lies." 

Don't forget your own health, either. It can be tempting to just keep ploughing through when you feel like time is squeezed, but regular breaks and short walks are as important, if not more so, during this time. 

It’s not always easy, but making a promise to yourself to try to stay present during the time away from your desk can mean you return to work feeling recharged. 

Wes said: "Don't forget to enjoy the time you have with your children. If you're out at the park, put your phone away and forget about it for a couple of hours." 

Helen Plumridge-Hill, from Leeds, runs creative workshop business Unlikely Genius. She said: "If you don't have kids and/or work through the summer, the barrage of photos of everyone else having fun can make it feel long. To avoid the FOMO, schedule loveliness into your days, and give yourself permission for early finishes, or just sitting in the sun." 

If you’re new to running your own business the Help to Grow: Management Essentials Course is a great starting point, giving you the core knowledge, tools, and confidence to build a strong, sustainable business. 

Banner image courtesy of Saskia Albers. Thank you to Frankie Tortora for giving permission for her photo to be included.