Summer is right around the corner and that means summer vacation. Children are home from school. Vacation plans are pending and customers and clients begin to alter their schedules too. It’s often a time of change and uncertainty. You can take steps now to prepare your business for the summer months.

Step #1 Take a Look at Your History

What happened last summer? Did sales go up? Did profits decline? Did you have trouble relying on contractors? Did you have way too much free time on your hands? History often repeats itself. If you can document what occurred last year by looking at the data and your analytics, then you may be able to use that information to plan ahead.

For example, a copywriter may find that their business increases during the spring months and then declines during the middle months of summer. Knowing this information, a copywriter can then plan ahead. They might launch a special offer during the slow months, or use that downtime to create an information product or take a vacation.

Step #2 Schedule Ahead and Automate

If you’re busy during the summer months, then scheduling ahead is extremely important. And there are many things you can do right now so your summer is relaxed and easy. For example, you can write your blog posts now and schedule them for the summer. You can do the same for your email messages. In fact, you can plan a product launch and automate all of the processes so that the product launches automatically several months from now. You don’t have to lift a finger.

Step #3 Get Help

You can also simply schedule downtime. Many sole proprietors simply take a hiatus or time away from their businesses. If you’re a blogger or service provider, this is certainly an option. A better option may be to ask a guest blogger to step in and help while you’re away. You run the risk of losing clients and readers if you’re gone too long.

Virtual assistants, interns and partnerships can all help you take time away during the summer. And if you are swamped during the summer, then additional help can make our bigger workload easier to manage.

Summer will be here before you know it. Taking steps now will help you enjoy the warmer months while still growing and managing your business. It’s smart business and it’ll save you future stress and anxiety.