I Packed My Bags
I packed my bags.
Before any rumors start, no, Sean and I are not getting a divorce and I am still living at our house!
Sean and I were supposed to leave for Florida on Sunday morning, but a nasty, hard, and fast stomach bug swept through our house throughout the week. Gracie, Monday night, me Wednesday, Sean Friday.
We pivoted our plans and decided to do a staycation here in town Sunday - Tuesday and then (pending the bug) he’d fly out on Tuesday. While gone Sean’s mom was going to watch the girls and then our sitter and my dad were also going to help. Bless you all!
The thing about all of this isn’t the stomach bug, it’s the fact that I would be leaving Gracie for the first time. Not a big deal except she still nurses, and add that there’s school drop-off, Ellie’s gymnastics, and all the in-between things that we do on a daily basis without even thinking about them.
Saturday afternoon I went into town and sat my excited self at Panera and did what any normal person would do - wrote out processes for Sean’s mom. Meal Schedules + food options, bedtime routine, and the schedule for the next 4 days.
As I was typing, the pages kept growing I had a quick thought, “Girl, are you crazy? What is she going to think of this! She did raise 2 wonderful kids so she’s fully capable of this adventure!”.
But, as quickly as that thought came - another louder one came through. I was doing this because I didn’t want her to have to think about anything. I didn’t want her (or any of them) to feel lost with what we “typically” do, or decipher between the actual schedule and “Ellie’s Version.”
But to also not feel like it had to be followed 100%. If they were flowin’ with how things were going - live that best life!
On Saturday, I handed it to her I said those things. It wasn’t that I didn’t trust her motherly instincts, I just felt she would be equipped, would have zero questions, and have a baseline to how things typically go.
When she read through it we both realized I wrote plans in there that I hadn’t even told her out loud (sitter coming to help and my dad taking and picking up Ellie from the gym). Success!
And did she still think I was a little cooky - probably (hi, Cheryl!), but I already know that so here we are :)
To add another plot twist…we didn’t end up leaving for our staycation. You might have seen it coming, but yes, the stomach bug hit Ellie early Sunday morning - it was rough, but it was mild and she handled it like a champ.
So, while my processes weren’t needed for this adventure, they are ready to go when we leave (Lord willing) for a weekend trip in May!
Wrrrraping this all up because you know this turns into a teaching moment - hear me out small business friends and/or those who manage the house….
This may sound like work you don’t want to take the time to do. But, writing out these processes is what will allow you to take a day off and not get 23 text messages, to take a vacation, and empower your employees to run the business while you’re away.
It will also allow you to be able to hire someone for the role you need and they can hit the ground running after reading and following the processes you’ve written out.
It will also allow you to (if it’s your goal) open up a second location a hell of a lot faster than someone without these. Can you imagine?!
Plug: this is the work I do with clients. We put you in a position where you are not the only one who knows how your business works.
We do This work together because we all know you’re a visionary and this isn’t what you want to slow down and do - but your vacation-taking self needs you to do it and will thank you!
It’s not control. It’s not crazy. It’s empowering for both you and your team!