Business Owners: 5 Tech Tools To Manage Your Business On Vacation




Taking time off is one of the most important ways for any business owner to recover lost energy and relax from work pressure. In fact, vacationing is recommended for hardworking entrepreneurs for a chance to take a much-needed break and recharge. Taking a short or lengthy retreat from your business – depending on your need – should be an integral part of your schedule and a part of your to-do list.

Experts insist that while most entrepreneurs turn to caffeine to constantly focus on the job at hand or get back on track after a week of the endless pressures (and choosing to deal with it), there is value in taking time off. It is helpful to be physically away from your place of work and to not see the same people you work with every day, even just for brief more-than-24-hour periods.

Opting to relax and stepping away from the office can help you focus your attention to what was previously obscured from your observation because of the increasing business demands. Perhaps a better strategy was waiting to be implemented all along, or a more effective internal system for communicating issues should have been in place – it all becomes clearer as your mind experiences relaxation and clarity.

As such, experts say that every once in a while, it pays to reward yourself and your family with a piece of paradise. This is critical to your well-being, much as it is important to your survival as an entrepreneur who oversees your business and targets to turn it into a corporate empire. A vacation keeps you mentally, physically and emotionally healthy, while ensuring that your company is always kept in shape.

For those who can’t help but think about the management of their business while they’re gone, Business News Daily says there are advanced technologies and apps that have been designed to take the worry away. Who says entrepreneurs have to stay in the office all the time to manage their business?

There are five tools that allow vacationing business owners to access pertinent data at any time and even while on the go, in order to efficiently take charge of their enterprise while away. There are tricks to ensuring that your urgent e-mails are attended to, your important reports are set and processed, your urgent meetings can be held, and you are up-to-date with financial data and processes – even when you’re away.

Inky is a desktop and mobile app that organizes your email for you. It automatically marks your incoming messages by categories such as social notifications, personal emails, subscriptions and packages (for orders and shipping notifications) so that every email has a place to go.

Wagepoint is a cloud-based payroll service that covers direct deposit, payroll calculations, deductions, taxes and more. It allows you to manage and pay several different types of employees (e.g., contractors, hourly and salaried employees) at the same time.

Expensify is a mobile app that helps you keep track of your expenses on the go. You can scan receipts (especially handy if you’re on a business trip), process business reports, keep track of the company credit card, and send reimbursements to employees.  Bonus: it works offline, too, so you don’t have to worry if you’re traveling somewhere without Wi-Fi.

Fuze is a mobile and desktop HD voice and video conference calling app that uses VoIP. It features content sharing with group collaboration and allows you to present full resolution PowerPoints with animations, as well as schedule meetings through Outlook and Google Calendar.

GoToMyPC is an app that you install on your computer, and, via your account, you can have secure remote access to your desktop from any Internet-connected or mobile device. You can also print remotely, transfer files and create desktop shortcuts using the app.

Photo by André Luís

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