We’d all like to think that we’re indispensible. And leaders are no different. Some leaders don’t take holidays, fearful that their business will collapse in their absence.

Happily, thanks to modern technology, communications and working practices, it’s now entirely possible (and even desirable) for leaders to keep a business running effectively from the comfort of a sun lounger.

If you’ve been running your business without a holiday, you need some tips for managing things effectively from a distance.

1. Delegate

The first thing you need to be able to do is delegate. To achieve this you need to have people you can trust and you need to give them clear instructions with specific milestones and smart objectives.

With these things in place, you can enjoy time at the beach knowing that the day-to-day stuff is being taken care of and that you’ll be alerted should anything out of the ordinary require your attention.

2. Reporting

If you haven’t already, you need to establish frequent and clear reporting on the critical aspects of your business. With these in place you should be able to witness that everything is running as it should be. Alternatively, you’ll also be able to see that there are problems round the corner that need addressing. With regular and comprehensive reporting in place, you’ll be able to foresee risks and opportunities in time to do something about them if necessary.

3. Communications

World communications are developing daily. Now, from afar, you can easily keep in touch with senior managers or major customers. So, you can relax in the confidence that, should an emergency arrive, technology can help you deal with it as effectively as if you were in the office.

4. Strategy

A major complaint from senior executives is the lack of time for strategy. Sometimes, a bit of distance from day-to-day activities is required to see the bigger picture. So, instead of seeing time at the beach as ‘dead’ business time, think of it as an opportunity to explore more widely other options and thought processes.

With a bit of organisation and investment in good communications, you’ll be able to take a well-earned rest without completely losing touch. After all, you don’t have to be running a beach bar to work from the beach.