Vacation. Vacation is the number-one thing I wish I had really grasped the concept of before I embarked on a career of self-employment. I wish I had really understood what an amazing perk paid vacation time is. I wish I had understood what an amazing perk it is to be able to taketime off — all at once, in big chunks, with coworkers who can absorb your work load while you’re gone, or the kind of work that can wait for you to return.

I know people who take six weeks off at a time!

Wow. That seems so extravagant.

Maybe someday I’ll have minions who can cover for me while I go on six-month long, round-the-world adventures or hike the Pacific Crest Trail. But for the time being, I have to confine my vacations to a series of long weekends or one-week blocks.

In all the years I have been doing nails, it never fails that the weeks before, during, and after the local back-to-school date are my slowest. Every year, my schedule falls apart the week before school starts, as families go on last-minute vacations, or moms make last-minute dashes to check off all the items on the “must have” lists for their kiddies.

This year, I am entering the slump prepared! And it only took 22 years for me to plan ahead.

I am implementing the “vacation season.” I’m planning a couple of one-week blocks and a couple of four-day weekends throughout August and September. In fact, I unwittingly managed to schedule a week off in August that happens to be the exact week that school goes back into session in these parts.

The nice thing about taking time off during a slow season is that I never feel the slump. Since I have to reschedule all the clients from the week I’ll be gone, I end up extra busy the week before and the week after my vacation.

Like there’s no slow down at all. My calendar is looking good this year. I’ll have to remember this “vacation season” style of taking time off for the future. I think it’s gonna work out just right.

[Editor’s note: See how other techs manage to take time off here.]