Going on holiday? Here are 5 tips to get you and your practice summer-ready

It’s not always easy to leave your work behind when you head off for a summer getaway. To help ensure that you have a stress-free break, we’ve put together this holiday checklist to get you and your practice prepared for summer.

1. Check the MTD deadline off the to-do list

If you’re taking your holiday in late July or during August, remember that this year 7th August marks the first Making Tax Digital (MTD) VAT submission deadline for clients who submit VAT on a quarterly basis. It’s beneficial to set up and test the submission process with a few clients early, due to the amount of time it takes to sign up and register with HMRC:

• If your clients’ first MTD VAT quarter started in April, they must be registered by 26th July if paying by Direct Debit (2nd August, if not).
• If your clients’ first MTD VAT quarter started in May, they must be registered by 29th August if paying by Direct Debit (3rd September, if not).

Make sure that your practice and clients are setup for their first MTD submission, especially if your holiday is scheduled around these dates!

2. Prepare your clients

Put some time aside in your diary to let your clients know that you’re planning a summer break, particularly those who are likely to be in touch with urgent questions. This should help to limit the number of emails and calls that will be waiting for you when you return to work! Why not suggest to your clients to download the FreeAgent mobile app, so they can easily keep an eye on their business.

In the rush to get everything finished before your holiday starts, it can be easy to forget to set an ‘out of office’ message on your email or phone, so write yourself a note or set a reminder to do this. Hopefully you’ll be setting all of your work aside, but if that’s not possible, use your out of office message to let your clients know that you’ll have limited access to emails.

3. Have a colleague or accountant friend on standby

Why not delegate or ask a friend for help when you’re away? If you work for a larger practice, you can ask colleagues to cover for you or add them as an account manager to your FreeAgent Dashboard. Have a think about what is likely to come up and write some detailed handover notes for them. If you’re a freelancer, maybe try asking a fellow accountant friend.

Alternatively, you can direct clients to our FreeAgent Knowledge Base or award-winning support team if they have software questions.

4. Limit check-ins to 15 minutes per day

Going on holiday is about taking time off to recharge your batteries and boosting your productivity when you return. If you struggle with the urge to check your emails while you’re away, you may never fully switch off and take the break that you need.

If you’ve left good handover notes with your team, you probably shouldn’t need to check in while you’re away. However, if you really can’t avoid it, try dedicating a restricted time of 15 minutes per day to answer urgent queries or check how your practice is doing. You can also set up Alerts on your FreeAgent Dashboard, so you can easily see at a glance whether any of your clients need attention.

5. Plan for your return

Before you leave, prepare a general plan for your return to work. Consider what will be likely to need your attention and perhaps even some new business opportunities that you’d like to pursue once you’re back up to speed. Do you want to get better at marketing, expand your business, leave the office earlier or spend more time with your family? Jot down a few ideas to help you feel more relaxed and focused - share this with your FreeAgent account manager so they can help you when you get back.

All in all, when heading off on your summer holiday you should feel comfortable leaving your practice behind without having to answer calls and emails. Having a break and taking a proper step back from work should give you a clearer perspective and more energy on your return - so get those holidays in the planner and keep burnout at bay this summer!