I have to admit I had a bit of a smug moment a couple of months ago thinking about the summer holidays. I don’t need to worry about the girls having 6 weeks off school – they’re only 2, and will carry on going to their lovely childminder over the summer. No need for me to plan anything different from my normal mad juggling routine.

exotic beachHmm.

What I had forgotten about is the 3 weeks of holiday that I am meant to be taking – so no childminder, and if I do my usual working late into the evening I will have one very grumpy hubby.

The smug feeling soon evaporated, to be replaced by a mounting sense of panic. I generally have difficulties taking an evening off, let alone 3 weeks. Client deadlines don’t just disappear into thin air – and as a sole practioner, I have no cover. Its me, myself, and I.

I have a feeling that next year I’ll do it differently.

But this year I have to figure out the best coping mechanism. I’ve read some fabulous blogs from other business mums about how they work around children and holidays, and taken some of their suggestions on board. My official strategy is:

  • Get as much deadline related work cleared off before the holidays;
  • Warn clients with deadlines looming that I won’t be available during certain dates;
  • Warn my long suffering husband that I will be taking my laptop on holiday, keeping an eye on emails, and dealing with any emergencies that I can’t put off;
  • Keep work to a bare minimum during holiday weeks (luckily they don’t all come in one block).

I started planning how to fit in the deadline related work a couple of months back, but as is the way things have not entirely gone to plan – a couple of new clients with immediate issues have been thrown into the mix, a couple of existing clients have suddenly become urgent due to unforseeable reasons (including a rushed mortgage application…). A couple of clients with deadlines are late giving me their paperwork. No matter how hard I try, I can’t plan for everything.

I’d love to hear what your strategies are for squeezing in some down time. If you’ve blogged on this then please link to your blog in the comments section and I’ll come and read your advice!!

Either way, I hope you all have a fantastic summer, and that it stops raining!