How to Take a Real Vacation While Running a Business Kathryn Wagner for The New York Times Chad Oakley, president of Charles Aris, a Greensboro, N.C., executive search firm, realized he couldn't take a vacation until he learned to rely more heavily on his staff. Two years ago, Chad Oakley realized he had to change the way he took a vacation. Afraid of what might happen if he were out of touch too long, Mr. Oakley, president of Charles Aris, a Greensboro, N.C., executive search firm, said he would spend most of his vacation time on the phone or at a computer, squeezing in "pockets of relaxation" when he could. The result: "I tried to do both things at once - work and be on vacation - and ended up doing both poorly," he said. He returned home feeling more stress than when he left. To take a real vacation, Mr. Oakley knew, would require planning. So he started to rely more on his 30 employees. He prepared those he worked with regularly on recruiting assignments and handed responsibility over to them well before he left. And he began letting his clients know he would be away. Now, according to Mr. Oakley, he is able to get a real break when he goes on a vacation with his wife and three children. "I've found a way to make it work for everyone," he said. Of all the challenges small-business owners face, one of the toughest is taking a vacation. Like Mr. Oakley, many worry that they will lose potential business or alienate clients, or that the business will not be able to handle a crisis. And these days, with fast response to e-mails expected and the economy still rocky, many small-company owners are particularly unwilling to take a real break. Such an attitude, however, can be bad for the health of both the owner and the business. "If you don't get a break, you're going to burn out, and you'll never achieve the level of success you're aiming for," said Debra Condren, who has a Ph.D. in psychology and is the founder of Manhattan Business Coaching, an executive coaching firm based in New York. On the other hand, she said, if you take a breather, you are likely to return refreshed and better able to run your business. This guide offers tips from company owners who have managed to get away. PREPARE YOUR STAFF For the business to function while you are away, your employees have to be able to make the right decisions. This requires making sure they have the information they need to do their jobs - and maybe parts of yours, as well. For example, while Mr. Oakley works regularly with an employee on each search assignment, he has that person take the lead about a week before he departs. They discuss what the individual may need to do while Mr. Oakley is away, important information about each assignment and situations that may arise. Most important, he hands off responsibility to employees for running weekly half-hour to one-hour client updates, crucial meetings during which Mr. Oakley generally provides a detailed review of each project's status - a task he used to conduct even while on vacation. Similarly, Marjorie Hansen Shaevitz, who heads Admission Possible, a college admissions consulting firm based in La Jolla, Calif., starts preparing her five employees one to two months before she leaves. This preparation includes detailed instructions about how to handle phone calls and e-mails from current and prospective clients. She also goes over the types of problems that may arise, with step-by-step guidance for how to handle them - things like what to say to a distraught parent and whom to contact at the College Board. "If your staff is very prepared and organized, you can prevent big problems from happening, and you can enjoy your vacation," Ms. Shaevitz said. For Simon Philip Wolf, president of Wolf Designs, a business based in Los Angeles that designs and sells products like jewelry boxes and watch winders, it is all about making sure his 41 employees feel in control. "Otherwise, while you're away, they panic," he said. To that end, about a week before he leaves, he meets with every department head separately to review in minute detail everything each is working on. "I get more into things than I usually would," he said. For example, before leaving for a two-week honeymoon in Greece in September, he met with the company's two designers and discussed a jewelry box they were creating for a big retail client that had to be shipped for approval during his vacation. Mr. Wolf, noting the client's proclivities, advised his designers to develop versions of the box that were slightly darker and lighter in color and to keep them in reserve, just in case. And in fact, while he was away, the client asked for a darker shade, and his designers were able to provide it without contacting Mr. Wolf. MANAGE CLIENT EXPECTATIONS Perhaps the most unnerving aspect of vacation planning is letting clients know you will be away. Of course, you also have to make sure they understand that the same level of work will be done during your absence. "Let them know who will be handling what tasks and that your staff can contact you in an emergency," Ms. Condren said.