How do you guys work out vacation time?

[DirtRider]

I have a few accounts a week that I do after my full time day job and have dreaming of making this a full time career. The problem is the four weeks of vacation and a week of sick time I would be giving up. How do you guys take time off? I know that the lawns do not quite growing? Do you only take time off during the winter months? I guess this question is directed more at the solo ops? I have many questions and will try to keep each one to its own thread.

[martinfan06]

Time off is very difficult, not imposable though. Y ou have to be disciplined to not bite off more than you can chew. Keep work were your getting done in 8-9 hours mon-fri(mon-thur if possible). Then you you know you want some time of you just work you butt off 12 hrs a day and get it done in 3 days and have a small vac maybe 5 days(thats summer time) your not going to get butt maybe 1 in the summer. Winter is the best time to take off for longer periods though.

[PMLAWN]

What is time off????

And what is 4 weeks vacation?????:laugh: :laugh: :laugh:
Just the joys of being a solo self employed


Employees--
Or Winter

Yep, working for "the man" really stinks- Sick time-- 4 weeks vacation-- steady pay check-- A PAYCHECK:) -- Health insurance-- Weekends off-- Nights off-- Can't see how anybody would put up with that:laugh:

[nobagger]

Who the hell takes time off. Well I did only to get married last year and I just told all of my customer's they would not be mowed that week. The bad part is we would have liked to honeymoon for 2 weeks but we only went for one week. Thats the price of owning and running your own business. But this season I can honestly say we have only NOT worked one weekend due to a funeral since the 2nd week of April with landscaping jobs and mowing during the week.

[LindblomRJ]

Before I got sick I had 12 weeks of sick leave. Now I am down to 6 weeks of sick leave and about that many in vacation leave. In a years time I had 3 surgeries. and 9 weeks of chemo. with 3 weeks of chemo every day.

Thank God for health insurance, cover the vast majority of the cost. I worked as much as I could through this ordeal. But I owned a different business at the time, along with working for a steady paycheck. The business suffered, and we sold it.

Not happy with just 40 hours a week. Started doing lawn care, some landscaping, and setting grave stones. This year I didn't push the lawn care too hard, waiting on my health, wanting to make reasonably sure things were stable. Will market the fall clean up and snow removal, thereby guaranteeing a easy winter.

My work schedule allows free time during the weeks, and some times mornings or mid afternoon on to focus on the lawn care.

Working for pay check, insurance, and vacation are all very good things, even if the job is not the most fun. Best advice is to weigh the advantages of all things involved. All the pro's of each and all the con's of each. If you want time off, it is possible, but requires a fair amount of planning and flexibility.

[martinfan06]

If you plan on beginning in this industry for any length of time you MUST have sometime off you will burn yourself out. The problem is people get GREEDY see all that $$$, yeah its out there but if you dont have time to enjoy it whats it worth?? I plan to make a good living not try to get RICH JMO.

[dvmcmrhp52]

If you plan on surviving on your own as a solo then there are no vacations during the season.

[BSDeality]

time off is definitely necessary. I find that I can typically go 21-30 days without time off before I start getting careless. I forget tools or do something in the wrong order, drive halfway across town for an estimate and realize I don't have the address with me, etc. I'm taking a 3 day weekend this weekend before my schedule gets crazy again, can't wait!

[dvmcmrhp52]

time off is definitely necessary. I find that I can typically go 21-30 days without time off before I start getting careless. I forget tools or do something in the wrong order, drive halfway across town for an estimate and realize I don't have the address with me, etc. I'm taking a 3 day weekend this weekend before my schedule gets crazy again, can't wait!



Long weekends here and there, ya...........
Week long vacations or longer loses too much income for a solo.

[daveintoledo]

maybe in the winter, but most do snow removal that time of year. you work during the season... period, sounds like this really isnt for you...

[rfed32]

vaction isnt in the vocab...sorry

[Brendan Smith]

if i could remember the last vacation i took, i'd tell you. it has been 5 years or so for me without anything more than a 3-4 day weekend.

[Frosty_03]

I take time off from dec to feb I go as far south as I can sometime the islands too. It all depends on the season, but I do take a three day weekend too all season. It is all about time management.:cool2:

[JJLandscapes]

go to vegas twice in the winter atleast and maybe another more relaxing one

[olderthandirt]

charge twice as much per cut and only do 1/2 as many and it leaves plenty of time for vacation

[Mowtown Mike]

I am planning on a week in November. Its after leaf season and before the snow hits, hopefully.

[Roger]

No time off between April 1 and Thanksgiving. For me, that includes the Monday holidays. I have no idea how solo ops and vacations during the season mix.

[jt5019]

I wait for the middle of the summer when the grass gets really dry like it is starting to now. Ill cut any lawns that are watered and skip the rest for a week and nobody minds.

[DirtRider]

charge twice as much per cut and only do 1/2 as many and it leaves plenty of time for vacation

That is what I'm talking about. There has to be a way to take time off. If running a solo business means working myself silly with no time off then it isn't for me. I would think with a little planning it should be possible. Life is too short to be all work and no play?

[PMLAWN]

If running a solo business means working myself silly with no time off then it isn't for me. ?

Now your getting it!!!:)

[PMLAWN]

I would think with a little planning it should be possible. ?

All work = no play
Some work = some play
no work = all play
Work makes money--- Play takes money

The rest is up to you.

[daveintoledo]

That is what I'm talking about. There has to be a way to take time off. If running a solo business means working myself silly with no time off then it isn't for me. I would think with a little planning it should be possible. Life is too short to be all work and no play?

then this isnt for you, anyone here who has half a business is too busy to take time off for anything in the summer...

i have 24 foot bayliner trophy fishing boat that hasnt sseen the water in three years.....

[PMLAWN]

then this isnt for you, anyone here who has half a business is too busy to take time off for anything in the summer...

i have 24 foot bayliner trophy fishing boat that hasnt sseen the water in three years.....
I bet that boat would look good behind my 37 foot motorhome that also has not been used in about 2 years:hammerhead: :laugh: :laugh:

[Steppenwolf]

I bet that boat would look good behind my 37 foot motorhome that also has not been used in about 2 years:hammerhead: :laugh: :laugh:

I bet that 37 foot motorhome with the boat in tow would look better with me driving :) To be honest, my vacation time when I get away is usually around the last two weeks of january and the first two weeks of february. I don't plow anymore so this is the best time for me.

[J&R Landscaping]

I try to go full throttle through-out the summer. I have not worked to many saturdays and so far only 1 sunday this year.

Sometimes its tough not getting much free time but I enjoy what I do so it makes it worth while! Plus, If I where to take a vacation during the season, I wouldn't be getting paid and I might loose some clients. Rest up over the winter when your not plowing and get ready for a full spring and summer of work! JMO

[sweatyclippingcoveredguy]

Rain days are a vacation. Sleeping in until you can't sleep no more, knowing it's raining out=no labor, not having motivation to doing anything productive, wearing the clothes you slept in all day, looking at the clock and saying "how the hell is it 10pm already", and soaking in the glory of a lazy day off. These are your lawn care vacations.

[Rhett]

Vacation is planned in the slow season is usually limited to a week. March thru November is 7 days a week. Think I have had off 3 Sundays so far this year. Slept all day in between feedings of pizza. I too have a boat in the back yard that has not seen water in years. The kicker is I am a whole 2 blocks from the boat ramp.

[PMLAWN]

YEP, Those dummies working for the man have no idea how good we got it!

[Brendan Smith]

YEP, Those dummies working for the man have no idea how good we got it!
it could be worse. at least we don't have to stare at mud brown or slush gray cubicle walls all day long. or listen to the a**ho** in the next cubicle talk on speakerphone like he is the ceo. and never forget the obligitory woman who bathes in grandma perfume. or the guy who clips his fingernails every other day at precisely 11:12 am. or the guy who just comes by your cube to see if he can piggyback whatever you are doing that is going well. and the senseless "feel good" memos and e-mails. "morale building" activities. the boss blaming you for his failures and taking credit for your success. telephones that constantly ring at your desk, requiring you to break your train of thought, only to find out it is ANOTHER personal call for the janitor or receptionist (whichever is more annoying to you). and the highly paid consultants that ask you how to do your job, then in the next sentance, tell you how to do it better.

corporate life is EXACTLY like a Dilbert cartoon. if i knew how much i would hate it, i honestly would have started my business as soon as i graduated college.

[martinfan06]

it could be worse. at least we don't have to stare at mud brown or slush gray cubicle walls all day long. or listen to the a**ho** in the next cubicle talk on speakerphone like he is the ceo. and never forget the obligitory woman who bathes in grandma perfume. or the guy who clips his fingernails every other day at precisely 11:12 am. or the guy who just comes by your cube to see if he can piggyback whatever you are doing that is going well. and the senseless "feel good" memos and e-mails. "morale building" activities. the boss blaming you for his failures and taking credit for your success. telephones that constantly ring at your desk, requiring you to break your train of thought, only to find out it is ANOTHER personal call for the janitor or receptionist (whichever is more annoying to you). and the highly paid consultants that ask you how to do your job, then in the next sentance, tell you how to do it better.

corporate life is EXACTLY like a Dilbert cartoon. if i knew how much i would hate it, i honestly would have started my business as soon as i graduated college.

YEAP ! A bad day mowing is better than a good day at the OFFICE!!!:laugh:

[Brendan Smith]

YEAP ! A bad day mowing is better than a good day at the OFFICE!!!:laugh:
or, as i call it, the orifice:laugh:

[PMLAWN]

corporate life is EXACTLY like a Dilbert cartoon. if i knew how much i would hate it, i honestly would have started my business as soon as i graduated college.
Well I have two Corp's and 1 LLC so I have the triple wammy of corp. life:laugh:
But I do agree that I get enjoyment out of sitting on the mower and not having to deal with the phone for a while.
Now if only I could get the phone to stop taking those voicemails:)

[Brendan Smith]

Well I have two Corp's and 1 LLC so I have the triple wammy of corp. life:laugh:
But I do agree that I get enjoyment out of sitting on the mower and not having to deal with the phone for a while.
Now if only I could get the phone to stop taking those voicemails:)
it does seem a bit different when it's your corporation, granted:)