You’ve worked your butt off to get where you are today. You invested not only money and resources, but time and energy into successfully launching and sustaining a business over the past few years. The journey has been quite the rollercoaster, but you handled it like a pro. Now that the madness of running a startup is starting to subside, a much-needed vacation is in order. You realize you need some time off, and you deserve a vacation, however, you may be wondering if it’s possible.

How in the world can you step away from your business when there’s so much to do? Will things run smoothly while you’re out of town? More importantly, how are you going to afford a vacation on a small budget? There are a lot of things that may be holding you back from getting away, but there are also solutions for each of them. Below is a look at just how easy it can be for you to take a vacation.

Traveling on a Budget

Of course, you’d love the opportunity to get away. However, your budget is small. As an entrepreneur, it isn’t uncommon to struggle the first few years you’re in business. Every penny you make goes back into the business to help it grow. Therefore, you may not have much saved up for vacation. Fortunately, you can still travel on a small budget. Here are a few ideas and resources:

• Save a little throughout the year– Going on vacation could cost a lot, depending on where you’re going, when you’re traveling, and who will be going with you. In any event, you can create a larger travel budget by saving a little bit throughout the year. Putting away $5 a week, for example, would give you $260 for a getaway.
• Take out a loan– If you’ve saved all year and are still a bit short on cash for your vacation, don’t skip it. Instead, borrow the money (as long as you can repay it within the agreed upon terms). You can get an installment loan online for as much as $1200 and repay it in small increments.
• Look for deals – As you’re planning your trip be sure to look out for deals. You may find coupons for discounts on your favorite restaurants, cheap tickets to upcoming attractions, or even vacation package deals you can take advantage of.

Manning the Office

The other big pain in the neck for business owners is manning the office while they’re away. Those with a ton of responsibilities typically have to be glued to their phones or laptops in order to make sure the business runs smoothly. This, of course, is no way to relax and explore. If you’re worried about the office while you’re out, these tips should help you out:

• Put someone you trust in charge– Before leaving for vacation, appoint someone to be in charge of the day to day operations. Your staff would be a great place to start as they’re already employed with you, are aware of the company goals, and don’t require much training. Whomever you choose, make sure that you schedule a few meetings with them to discuss the responsibilities and upcoming tasks you’ll need them to handle for a smooth transition.
• Use collaboration tools– Remote workers are becoming increasingly popular. As such, you can find lots of tools and software that can be used to make checking in and collaborating with your team a synch. There are cloud storage accounts where you can access files, virtual chat rooms for communicating with staff or clients, and more. You can also set up remote access for common programs you might use in the office. This way, you can log in and perform tasks as needed.

Starting a new business takes a lot out of a person. So, when they reach a point where things are manageable, it is only right that they take some much-needed time off. If you’re an entrepreneur who has been dying to get away from the office but has been reluctant to do so because of cash or day to day operations, there are solutions. Using the tips above, and setting boundaries on how frequently you’ll be involved in work while away from the office will ensure that things run smoothly and you get the rest, relaxation, and recharge you need.