8 essential secrets for how to stay sane during the long summer holidays

For those parents reading this you may, like me, be viewing the forthcoming summer holidays with a mix of excitement, joy, and a dose of trepidation.

Work does not stop, especially if you’re a business owner. The wheel must still turn.

Yet, you also need to spend important time being present with your children, creating memories, unwinding and “refilling your cup” – essentially, taking time out so that you’re recharged and ready to go again when you need to work.

When you’re trying to balance business FOMO and parental guilt, the struggle is real!

So, how do you approach it?

I have 11 years of insight and experience in spinning these plates – I have been a business owner my entire parenting life.

My children’s father is also a business owner, so time to truly down tools and connect with each other has been practically non-existent.

Yet… life is all about learning – from our own experiences and taking proven strategies from others who have walked the road we are on.

My tips below may be ones that you already use and some may land with you more than others.

However, as a seasoned juggler of kids, business, and summer hols, I thought it would be helpful to share some of the tricks in my toolkit that keep me sane.

1. Compartmentalise your day

Section off blocks of time for work and blocks of time for the kids.

If you try to do all of it at the same time all the time, you’ll end up doing none of it well. This will likely leave you feeling frustrated, stressed and more tired.

2. Prioritise your energy

If you get re-energised by socialising then say “yes” to the socials, involve your kids, and have fun.

On the other hand, if you know you need time on your own to switch off and reboot, make sure you say “no” to some of the fun social invitations you receive or you’ll end up burned out.

Remember, “no” is a complete sentence.

No need for explanation, just set and respect your boundaries.

3. Prioritise your health

Summer holidays mean treats! Ice cream, eating out, more alcohol than normal, snacks – all the naughty-but-nice stuff.

Treat yourself, absolutely! But balance it with days of eating clean or your energy levels and capacity will plummet.

4. Get up early!

That couple of hours before the kids get up is YOUR TIME. So, spend some of it on self-care to set you up for the day.

My non negotiables are a meditation and some kind of movement – generally yoga, qigong, or weights – and often some breathwork.

I also “ground” – realign my energy by connecting to the earth – by spending some time barefoot on natural terrain every day.

These practices power me up so I can deal with whatever the day throws at me.

Remember, you cannot pour from an empty cup.

5. Communicate with your kids

Talk to your children and help them understand your need to stay on top of work to make sure you can pay for even more fun and adventures to enjoy with them.

6. Schedule in downtime

Make sure that you have some days scheduled which are complete downtime – time off with the kids, doing whatever you and they love.

These are the times you’re working for, and these are the times that you will cherish looking back on.

7. Be kind to yourself

Remember that there are many people out there who are doing the same as you, facing the same struggles, the same plight, and the same frustrations.

You do you.

Do what works for you and your family and call in the support team when you need to. Be it grandparents, friends, holiday clubs – whatever lifelines you have, use them!

8. Remember to breathe 😉

A quick breathing exercise can do wonders for your wellbeing. Here’s a simple example to get you started:

• Inhale for one, two, three, four
• Exhale for one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight
• Breathing in for the four-count, breathing out for the eight-count
• Continue to maintain this 1:2 ratio.

Even as few as two to three rounds can completely reset your system.

I hope these tips help. As ever, Melo is on a mission to make the world a brighter, happier place for all of us super business leaders and entrepreneurs out there!

Get in touch

If you have any insights into how you juggle business, play, and school holidays, we’d love to hear your secrets to success!

Hit us up in our inbox at hello@melo.co.uk or have a chat with us on 0113 4656 111.