Strauss: Entrepreneurs, take that summer vacation!

Q: I really wish that I would be able to take some time off this summer, but I don't see how. I run a one-person business and if I don't work, I don't get paid. – JT

(Part 1 of 2)

A: Someone recently asked me a similar question – "How can I justify taking time off this summer?" My response was, "How can you justify not taking time off?"

For sure, sometimes being a small business owner can be tough, especially when the summer months roll around and you are stuck inside working instead of taking advantage of the sunny weather. Truly, employees at big companies usually have a much easier time taking time off than most small business owners.

The good news is that, as the owner of your business, you are in the perfect position to implement some necessary changes to your schedule. Whether you want to spend extra time with your kids, take a much-needed vacation, or just spend a few more of your days outdoors, here are a few tips will help you make your summer schedule work for you:

Get help: An extra pair of hands can free you up a lot, and it could look many different ways – an assistant, a part-time employee, a virtual assistant, an intern, or your teenage son.

Hiring help doesn't cost, it pays.

Lighten your workload: One of the advantages to being self-employed is the ability to somewhat control your workload. For instance, you could

■ Get extra work done before you leave
■ Make sure your clients know you will be unavailable or available only during certain hours (but you need to stick to it!)
■ Adjust client deadlines to reflect the time you will be gone

And, generally speaking, if you can afford it financially, endeavor to dial back the number of jobs or clients you take on during the summer.

Don't be a slave to email: Sometimes considered the bane of the modern age, email, especially while on vacation, can be a never-ending, never-satisfied constant companion.

But it doesn't have to be.

You are the boss. You set the rules. Consider: A company called Bandwith enforces a total ban to and from employees while an employee is on vacation. No. Email. At. All. On. Vacation.

You can do that too. Between creating an auto-responder and letting those who need to know, know that you would prefer less email during your break, the slave-driver that is email can be tamed.

Change up your daily schedule: Even when you are not away on holiday, you can make your summer freer, more enjoyable. For instance, while your normal daily routine might not enable you to take advantage of summer weather, your schedule certainly can be adjusted to accommodate things like your kids being out of school, your favorite band playing a concert at the beach, or even a few hours of soaking up the sun every day.

Wake up an hour early and put in some dedicated work time, or save your to-do list for the evening when the kids are in bed and the sun has gone down. Break your typical workday into blocks of a few hours at a time, and separate those blocks with some hour-long breaks to get outside and enjoy the day.

Take advantage of slow days: When you know in advance that you are going to have a few days with little to no activity going on, plan ahead and use that time to catch up on work and get ahead where possible. Create content, make sales calls, have meetings, and generally try to get as much done as possible so that you can afford to slack off on days where there are fun activities that would better occupy your time.

Go mobile (if all else fails): The mobile revolution is amazing, and mostly amazingly good, except when you use the technology for evil, like working when you are supposed to be hanging on the beach or checking work email at the movies.

As I have been saying lately, if you are going to be the boss, be a good one, especially to yourself this summer.

(Next week – automation to the rescue!)

Today's tip: Each year, Martha Stewart and her team honor small-business owners and creative entrepreneurs across the country in the fields of crafts, design, food, and style in her American Made awards program. Nominations for this year are now open, through August 31.

Each of the 10 winners will be awarded a cash prize of $10,000, as well as a trip for two to New York City to attend the American Made Summit, the opportunity to be featured on MarthaStewart.com, and marketing and public relations to help move their businesses forward.

To nominate yourself or someone else, go to:

marthastewart.com/americanmade/nominate-yourself

Steve Strauss, @Steve Strauss on Twitter, is a lawyer specializing in small business and entrepreneurship and has been writing for USATODAY.com for 20 years. E-mail: sstrauss@mrallbiz.com. Website: TheSelfEmployed.