Summer should feel like a break. Especially for parents. But if you run a business, the summer holidays often bring a very different kind of pressure.
The school gates close, routines go out the window, and suddenly you’re trying to manage childcare, activities, and snack requests while still answering emails and keeping things running. For business owners and managers with young families, the summer break can feel anything but restful.
Holidays where you can’t fully switch off
Even when you do take time off, it’s rare to completely switch off.
Maybe you tell yourself you’ll just check in for “a few minutes” each morning. Or you wait until the kids are watching a film to quickly respond to a few messages. Before you know it, you’re sat in the car park of a soft play centre, replying to emails with a lukewarm coffee balanced on your knee.
That low-level hum of responsibility is always there. A constant background buzz you can’t quite mute, because for many small business owners or managers, there’s simply no one else to hand things over to.
So even when you’re away, you’re not really away. And that takes its toll.
The emotional toll of constant switching
What’s often underestimated is the emotional exhaustion that comes from constantly switching gears.
One moment you’re cutting up apple slices or resolving a sibling argument. The next, you’re back in business mode, replying to a customer query, making a decision, chasing up a payment.
It’s not just multitasking. It’s the mental strain of constantly changing focus.
And it can leave you feeling like you’re never fully present in either role. Not quite the parent you want to be, and not quite the focused business owner you need to be. That split attention wears you down in ways that aren’t always visible but build up over time.
The guilt — whatever you choose
You want to make the most of the summer with your child, but the business still needs you. So maybe you send them off with a grandparent for the afternoon. Or book them into a holiday club for a few days, just to get a clear run at your to-do list.
But even when you do get through the work — when you’ve cleared your inbox, ticked off the urgent tasks, and finally feel on top of things, it can come with a pang of guilt.
You start wondering if you should’ve kept them home instead. Maybe you could’ve gone out, made a memory, done something fun together.
And when you are with them, part of your brain is still ticking through unread emails and customer requests. One part of you is building Lego towers or queuing at the ice cream van, while another part is quietly working through mental checklists:
Did I reply to that message? What’s due tomorrow? Has payroll gone out?
It feels like your mind is constantly split down the middle. You’re there, but not fully there.
And that’s the part that wears you down. The sense that you’re never quite doing enough in either role, even when you’re doing everything you can.
The cost of filling the summer
There’s also the pressure of simply filling the days. Coming up with new ideas to keep kids entertained — and trying to avoid too much screen time — can feel like a full-time job in itself.
Not to mention the cost. Days out, snacks, transport, activities, ice creams… it adds up fast.
And when your energy is already stretched thin, the daily question of “What are we doing today?” can feel overwhelming.
And when do you get a break?
Somewhere in between keeping the business afloat and keeping the kids happy, there’s a question that often gets pushed to the bottom of the list: When do you get time for yourself?
- It might be a quiet half hour with a coffee while the kids are out.
- It might be a solo walk after bedtime.
- Or just ten minutes of silence in the car before going back inside.
It’s not always easy to carve out that time, and sometimes it feels like one more thing to squeeze into an already packed day.
But you matter too.
You can’t pour from an empty cup. That quiet space to rest, think, or just be is more important than it seems — especially when you’re being pulled in so many directions.
Tips for managing the summer work and childcare madness
While every situation is different, here are a few strategies that might help make things a little easier during the summer months:
Set clear boundaries where you can
Try to block out specific times for focused work and separate time for family. Even if it’s just an hour here or there, having defined blocks can help you be more present in the moment, instead of half-working and half-parenting all day.
That might mean:
- Letting your team know you’re only available for calls in the morning.
- Planning family activities for the afternoon, knowing you’ll pick work back up after bedtime.
- Using visual cues like putting your laptop away during family time, or sharing a basic calendar everyone can see.
It’s not always easy, and it won’t be perfect. But even a loose structure can make a big difference.
Use your support networks
If you have people around you who are willing to help — let them.
- Grandparents
- Friends
- Neighbours
- Holiday clubs
Sometimes just knowing your child is safe and happy for a few hours gives you the breathing space to get through your to-do list. You don’t have to do it all alone.
Prioritise self-care (even in small ways)
You can’t run on empty. And you don’t need a spa day to reset. Try:
- A quiet cup of tea in the garden before everyone else wakes up
- A short walk around the block after dinner
- Ten minutes in the car before heading back inside
- Listening to your favourite playlist while tidying the kitchen (I love a kitchen disco — there’s dancing involved, much to my son’s annoyance)
- Switching your phone to silent while you drink your morning coffee
- Setting a timer and doing absolutely nothing for five minutes
- Texting a friend just to say, “Today was a lot”
Small moments like these can help you reset and remind you that you matter too.
Plan activities in advance
The question “What are we doing today?” can feel relentless.
Having a rough plan or list of go-to activities can ease the mental load:
- A library trip
- Baking something simple
- A garden picnic
- A film afternoon
- A walk or local outing
Some people find it helpful to jot ideas down and stick them to the fridge. That way, when your brain goes blank (which it will), you’ve got something to fall back on. It’s not about perfection — just about keeping things manageable.
Try a holiday calendar
(No pun intended… although we are The Holiday Tracker.)
We use a simple holiday calendar that we plan and fill in together. It’s not strict, and we both know things might change (especially with the weather), but it gives us a loose guide for the week.
My son doesn’t tolerate uncertainty well, so having something visual helps. And because he’s involved in planning it, he feels like he’s had some input too. That bit of ownership really helps.
It’s nothing fancy, just something we jot down on paper, but it works. (A little throwback to my teaching days!)
If you’d like to know how we put ours together, feel free to connect with me on LinkedIn.
Communicate with your team
If you manage others, even just one or two people, being open about the challenges summer brings can help.
Your team might be dealing with the same pressures, so a quick conversation or small shift in expectations can make things more manageable for everyone. A bit of flexibility, on both sides, often goes a long way.
Grateful, but honest
I know it might sound like all I’ve done is complain, but I really am grateful that I can shape my work around my family life. I’m lucky to be able to make adjustments when I need to, and I don’t take that for granted.
When I left teaching, one of my biggest concerns was giving up the school holidays; they were when I got to spend proper, quality time with my son. But what I’ve found is that now, the quality time is more evenly spread throughout the year. It’s no longer packed into a few intense weeks of trying to make every moment count. There’s more space, more balance, and less pressure.
I’d also be completely lost without family support. My son has an amazing bond with all of his grandparents, and they’ll happily drop everything to help. That makes a huge difference.
There’s a lot of joy in running your own business. Having some control over how you organise your time and energy is something I absolutely appreciate.
So no, this isn’t a complaint. It’s just an honest recognition that even when you’re fortunate, it can still be a struggle. And if you find it tough sometimes (or a lot of the time), you’re not on your own.
If it feels hard, that’s because it is
Balancing family life and running a business over the summer isn’t easy. Even with support, even when you’re grateful, it’s still a lot.
If you’re finding the thought of the holidays daunting, you’re not the only one. Most of us are figuring it out as we go. Some days feel like a win, others feel like survival.
And that’s okay. You’re doing what you can, and that’s more than enough.
Finding ways to lighten the load
We know we can’t take away the weight of summer holiday logistics (if only). But if you’re managing a team, sometimes just having a clear view of who’s off and when can make it easier to plan your own time too.
At The Holiday Tracker, we built our software to take a bit of pressure off small business owners and managers. From approving leave on the go, to tracking sickness patterns, to making sure you’re not left short-staffed when someone’s away; it’s the kind of system that quietly does its job so you can focus on yours.
And hopefully, free up a bit more time for what matters this summer.
