For many entrepreneurs, business slows down in the summertime. Now that you finally have time to breath, how can you take advantage of the extra time on your hands? Here are five things you can do to ensure your summer is both productive and enjoyable:

1. Get planning
Entrepreneurs are often so busy working in the business that they don’t have time to work on the business. If your day-to-day workload is slower in the summer, this is the perfect time to work on business planning. If you haven’t reviewed your business plan recently, you should do so. As your environment and your goals change, your business plan should be updated to reflect this. Summertime is also a good opportunity to focus on strategic planning, reviewing and setting targets for the upcoming year, and make a marketing plan if you don’t already have one.

2. Expand your knowledge
Regardless of how many years you’ve been in business, there is always opportunity for further learning and professional development. AWE is hosting some great summer workshops on topics such as marketing, market research, and accounting. You can check out our upcoming training events here.

3. Catch up with your contacts
Do you ever say “we should have coffee sometime” to a business contact and then never actually meet up because you’re both too busy? If things are less chaotic for you in the summer, this is an excellent time to call or email your connections and build relationships.

4. Support local businesses and the community
Alberta only gets a few months of hot weather so take advantage of it. Visit your local farmers’ market and check out the unique products that are being made close to home. Eat at a food truck for lunch – you’ll be supporting local entrepreneurs and the food is delicious!

5. Take a break
Entrepreneurs often remark that for them there’s no such thing as work/life balance, so when you have time to relax, take it! There will always be items on your to-do list, but taking a break to re-energize can actually make you more productive. You can’t be your best self if you’re perpetually exhausted. Take a vacation, or even a staycation. Try unplugging for a weekend (or maybe just an evening) and stepping away from those non-urgent emails.

How do you spend your time during the summer slow-down? Let us know in the comment section below!