Have you worked yourself to the bone this year?

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Here is a thought from JB:
We are not guaranteed tomorrow.
With that in mind, is there anything that you want to do, or person to see that the treadmill of running your B&B stops you?
The author wrote:
"I learned this from the French. Restaurants close at least one day per week, and often two. Shops close at lunchtime and on Sundays, hotels often close for two weeks in August. The French really know how to live, and I’ve learned to go with that flow."
She also wrote:
"The trees and plants in nature take time to pull back, rest and recuperate before the next big burst of energy in the spring."
 
I don't know that I would use the French as an example - their economy is not doing so well either.
I DO get the point though. I do not "work myself to the bone". I use my involvement with the City, the band, the B & B Association, Tails-to-Trails, etc as my breaks. Today after guests left, I did a couple loads of laundry and we took off to Half Pr ice . I now have another enormous stack of books to read. Have a boatload to do before i leave tomorrow for a 3-day Conference, but will be relaxed when I get back. Just doing something different is my answer to getting a break.
 
We have but its because we may have an opportunity to expand coming up and need to get everything done here before with tackle it - both from a having good books so they will lend us the money and a time aspect ie can't be renovating both at the same time or my head will explode!
 
You know how guilty we felt taking 5 days off in August? Not at all. It was surprising. But it was really a good thing we did. I might actually schedule it this year.
OTOH, when we tell people we take a whole month off they get all snarky. Must be nice.
Right now we are getting our second wind. Busy weekends but quieter mid week so we can relax a bit.
 
I've got to rework our numbers to see exactly how much $$$ we need now that most of our major projects on the house have been completed. Then I am going to set up the calendar and block out some time during the season so we don't run ourselves ragged like we did tis past year. I am torn between
1. Spreading out our guests over the course of the year, with short intervals in between reservations but taking guests pretty much all year.
2. Closing for months at a time and working full tilt during the high season when we can be full all the time.
If we spread out the guests over the entire year we really tie ourselves down. If we cram all the reservations into 3-4 months we have no life for those months and are exhausted by the end of Oct. So it's kind of a toss up...I am hoping once I work the numbers I can reach some kind of compromise between the two extremes.
 
I've got to rework our numbers to see exactly how much $$$ we need now that most of our major projects on the house have been completed. Then I am going to set up the calendar and block out some time during the season so we don't run ourselves ragged like we did tis past year. I am torn between
1. Spreading out our guests over the course of the year, with short intervals in between reservations but taking guests pretty much all year.
2. Closing for months at a time and working full tilt during the high season when we can be full all the time.
If we spread out the guests over the entire year we really tie ourselves down. If we cram all the reservations into 3-4 months we have no life for those months and are exhausted by the end of Oct. So it's kind of a toss up...I am hoping once I work the numbers I can reach some kind of compromise between the two extremes..
I think it would be better, for me personally at least, to work like a maniac to have a few months off straight. You'll better recoveed, rested & relaxed after a long hiatus rather than just a few short breaks in between. My opinion...
 
I've got to rework our numbers to see exactly how much $$$ we need now that most of our major projects on the house have been completed. Then I am going to set up the calendar and block out some time during the season so we don't run ourselves ragged like we did tis past year. I am torn between
1. Spreading out our guests over the course of the year, with short intervals in between reservations but taking guests pretty much all year.
2. Closing for months at a time and working full tilt during the high season when we can be full all the time.
If we spread out the guests over the entire year we really tie ourselves down. If we cram all the reservations into 3-4 months we have no life for those months and are exhausted by the end of Oct. So it's kind of a toss up...I am hoping once I work the numbers I can reach some kind of compromise between the two extremes..
We cram them in from Mem Day to now. Then we have 6 months of damn poor sleddin'. Our friends take off the whole winter from Nov 1 to May 1. I think they're more rested but they still struggle in August same as we do.
Research indicates you really need 3 weeks off to get the full benefit of being off. If that doesn't work then taking a short 3-day weekend every 3 months is the next best thing.
 
I've got to rework our numbers to see exactly how much $$$ we need now that most of our major projects on the house have been completed. Then I am going to set up the calendar and block out some time during the season so we don't run ourselves ragged like we did tis past year. I am torn between
1. Spreading out our guests over the course of the year, with short intervals in between reservations but taking guests pretty much all year.
2. Closing for months at a time and working full tilt during the high season when we can be full all the time.
If we spread out the guests over the entire year we really tie ourselves down. If we cram all the reservations into 3-4 months we have no life for those months and are exhausted by the end of Oct. So it's kind of a toss up...I am hoping once I work the numbers I can reach some kind of compromise between the two extremes..
I think it would be better, for me personally at least, to work like a maniac to have a few months off straight. You'll better recoveed, rested & relaxed after a long hiatus rather than just a few short breaks in between. My opinion...
.
K9 said:
I think it would be better, for me personally at least, to work like a maniac to have a few months off straight. You'll better recoveed, rested & relaxed after a long hiatus rather than just a few short breaks in between. My opinion...
SURE OF COURSE
But who can take months off? Not us, not now not ever.
 
today is all we have
Just read the obit from my daughter's two close friends father passed away this week. he was 48. left a wife and family behind.
Yes we have to survive, yes we have to pay our bills, yes we are busy, but we need to keep the main thing the main thing.
Yesterday we went for a hike, busiest weekend of the year, and busted our butts to get out of here...I even spoke to the one room checking in and did a self check in so we could go for a family hike of 5.5 miles. Best thing we have done all October. Otherwise I don't think we would have any fond memories of this month. I am serious, not a one.
 
I've got to rework our numbers to see exactly how much $$$ we need now that most of our major projects on the house have been completed. Then I am going to set up the calendar and block out some time during the season so we don't run ourselves ragged like we did tis past year. I am torn between
1. Spreading out our guests over the course of the year, with short intervals in between reservations but taking guests pretty much all year.
2. Closing for months at a time and working full tilt during the high season when we can be full all the time.
If we spread out the guests over the entire year we really tie ourselves down. If we cram all the reservations into 3-4 months we have no life for those months and are exhausted by the end of Oct. So it's kind of a toss up...I am hoping once I work the numbers I can reach some kind of compromise between the two extremes..
I think it would be better, for me personally at least, to work like a maniac to have a few months off straight. You'll better recoveed, rested & relaxed after a long hiatus rather than just a few short breaks in between. My opinion...
.
K9 said:
I think it would be better, for me personally at least, to work like a maniac to have a few months off straight. You'll better recoveed, rested & relaxed after a long hiatus rather than just a few short breaks in between. My opinion...
SURE OF COURSE
But who can take months off? Not us, not now not ever.
.
Nope.. not us, not ever. But if Silverspoon has that option, it gets my vote! (if nothing more than out of jealousy
wink_smile.gif
)
 
Partly Im trying to be cleverer about minimum nights to give us a bit of a break, that way we get them in all on one day then its just breakfast each day, chamber maid does rooms and we get the afternoons to ourselves as they are all out at the conference, so far we have always ended up with one room which is a change every day and mucks everything up!
 
I've got to rework our numbers to see exactly how much $$$ we need now that most of our major projects on the house have been completed. Then I am going to set up the calendar and block out some time during the season so we don't run ourselves ragged like we did tis past year. I am torn between
1. Spreading out our guests over the course of the year, with short intervals in between reservations but taking guests pretty much all year.
2. Closing for months at a time and working full tilt during the high season when we can be full all the time.
If we spread out the guests over the entire year we really tie ourselves down. If we cram all the reservations into 3-4 months we have no life for those months and are exhausted by the end of Oct. So it's kind of a toss up...I am hoping once I work the numbers I can reach some kind of compromise between the two extremes..
I think it would be better, for me personally at least, to work like a maniac to have a few months off straight. You'll better recoveed, rested & relaxed after a long hiatus rather than just a few short breaks in between. My opinion...
.
K9 said:
I think it would be better, for me personally at least, to work like a maniac to have a few months off straight. You'll better recoveed, rested & relaxed after a long hiatus rather than just a few short breaks in between. My opinion...
If I go too long without doing a breakfast, I get rusty and out of kilter.
 
I've got to rework our numbers to see exactly how much $$$ we need now that most of our major projects on the house have been completed. Then I am going to set up the calendar and block out some time during the season so we don't run ourselves ragged like we did tis past year. I am torn between
1. Spreading out our guests over the course of the year, with short intervals in between reservations but taking guests pretty much all year.
2. Closing for months at a time and working full tilt during the high season when we can be full all the time.
If we spread out the guests over the entire year we really tie ourselves down. If we cram all the reservations into 3-4 months we have no life for those months and are exhausted by the end of Oct. So it's kind of a toss up...I am hoping once I work the numbers I can reach some kind of compromise between the two extremes..
I think it would be better, for me personally at least, to work like a maniac to have a few months off straight. You'll better recoveed, rested & relaxed after a long hiatus rather than just a few short breaks in between. My opinion...
.
K9 said:
I think it would be better, for me personally at least, to work like a maniac to have a few months off straight. You'll better recoveed, rested & relaxed after a long hiatus rather than just a few short breaks in between. My opinion...
SURE OF COURSE
But who can take months off? Not us, not now not ever.
.
Nope.. not us, not ever. But if Silverspoon has that option, it gets my vote! (if nothing more than out of jealousy
wink_smile.gif
)
.
Thanks for your input and suggestions.
K9, keep in mind that we have owned and run this B+B for 25 years and it is just NOW, with DH turning 70 that we have the option of limiting our reservations. At least I think we will...as I said, I have yet to run the numbers. We will see how the year turns out and then make a plan. The trick will be to keep our rates high enough to discourage some visitors but not all, thus sort of self limiting our schedule and giving us the best return. I knew I should have paid more attention to Maximums and Minimums in those calculus courses I took many years ago! Any body know of a program that we can put our data into and come out with the best result?
wink_smile.gif

 
I've got to rework our numbers to see exactly how much $$$ we need now that most of our major projects on the house have been completed. Then I am going to set up the calendar and block out some time during the season so we don't run ourselves ragged like we did tis past year. I am torn between
1. Spreading out our guests over the course of the year, with short intervals in between reservations but taking guests pretty much all year.
2. Closing for months at a time and working full tilt during the high season when we can be full all the time.
If we spread out the guests over the entire year we really tie ourselves down. If we cram all the reservations into 3-4 months we have no life for those months and are exhausted by the end of Oct. So it's kind of a toss up...I am hoping once I work the numbers I can reach some kind of compromise between the two extremes..
I think it would be better, for me personally at least, to work like a maniac to have a few months off straight. You'll better recoveed, rested & relaxed after a long hiatus rather than just a few short breaks in between. My opinion...
.
K9 said:
I think it would be better, for me personally at least, to work like a maniac to have a few months off straight. You'll better recoveed, rested & relaxed after a long hiatus rather than just a few short breaks in between. My opinion...
SURE OF COURSE
But who can take months off? Not us, not now not ever.
.
Nope.. not us, not ever. But if Silverspoon has that option, it gets my vote! (if nothing more than out of jealousy
wink_smile.gif
)
.
Thanks for your input and suggestions.
K9, keep in mind that we have owned and run this B+B for 25 years and it is just NOW, with DH turning 70 that we have the option of limiting our reservations. At least I think we will...as I said, I have yet to run the numbers. We will see how the year turns out and then make a plan. The trick will be to keep our rates high enough to discourage some visitors but not all, thus sort of self limiting our schedule and giving us the best return. I knew I should have paid more attention to Maximums and Minimums in those calculus courses I took many years ago! Any body know of a program that we can put our data into and come out with the best result?
wink_smile.gif

.
If you have spreadsheet software you can do this yourself. No matter how you do it you'll have to input the data.
In the spreadsheet you can manipulate the date to show occ trending down as prices go up. (You have to do the original math, sorry.)
We did this when we looked at various places. 'If 35% of the guests decided not to come back because of new owners, would we die the first year?' It was very helpful.
 
I've got to rework our numbers to see exactly how much $$$ we need now that most of our major projects on the house have been completed. Then I am going to set up the calendar and block out some time during the season so we don't run ourselves ragged like we did tis past year. I am torn between
1. Spreading out our guests over the course of the year, with short intervals in between reservations but taking guests pretty much all year.
2. Closing for months at a time and working full tilt during the high season when we can be full all the time.
If we spread out the guests over the entire year we really tie ourselves down. If we cram all the reservations into 3-4 months we have no life for those months and are exhausted by the end of Oct. So it's kind of a toss up...I am hoping once I work the numbers I can reach some kind of compromise between the two extremes..
I think it would be better, for me personally at least, to work like a maniac to have a few months off straight. You'll better recoveed, rested & relaxed after a long hiatus rather than just a few short breaks in between. My opinion...
.
K9 said:
I think it would be better, for me personally at least, to work like a maniac to have a few months off straight. You'll better recoveed, rested & relaxed after a long hiatus rather than just a few short breaks in between. My opinion...
SURE OF COURSE
But who can take months off? Not us, not now not ever.
.
Nope.. not us, not ever. But if Silverspoon has that option, it gets my vote! (if nothing more than out of jealousy
wink_smile.gif
)
.
Thanks for your input and suggestions.
K9, keep in mind that we have owned and run this B+B for 25 years and it is just NOW, with DH turning 70 that we have the option of limiting our reservations. At least I think we will...as I said, I have yet to run the numbers. We will see how the year turns out and then make a plan. The trick will be to keep our rates high enough to discourage some visitors but not all, thus sort of self limiting our schedule and giving us the best return. I knew I should have paid more attention to Maximums and Minimums in those calculus courses I took many years ago! Any body know of a program that we can put our data into and come out with the best result?
wink_smile.gif

.
If you have spreadsheet software you can do this yourself. No matter how you do it you'll have to input the data.
In the spreadsheet you can manipulate the date to show occ trending down as prices go up. (You have to do the original math, sorry.)
We did this when we looked at various places. 'If 35% of the guests decided not to come back because of new owners, would we die the first year?' It was very helpful.
.
Thanks Maddie, I'll just have to put my thinking cap on and go to it!!!
 
I've worked harder this year than any other year and coming into our slow season now I'm exhausted. But also appreciative. I think the goal for next year will be to plan more time off, even during the crazy season. That seems to work for me and keeps me balanced. I also want to get more sleep, practice yoga more (as in I haven't been to a yoga class since May!), and spend more time with friends whom I hardly ever see from May-Nov.
 
I've worked harder this year than any other year and coming into our slow season now I'm exhausted. But also appreciative. I think the goal for next year will be to plan more time off, even during the crazy season. That seems to work for me and keeps me balanced. I also want to get more sleep, practice yoga more (as in I haven't been to a yoga class since May!), and spend more time with friends whom I hardly ever see from May-Nov..
Country Girl said:
I've worked harder this year than any other year and coming into our slow season now I'm exhausted. But also appreciative. I think the goal for next year will be to plan more time off, even during the crazy season. That seems to work for me and keeps me balanced. I also want to get more sleep, practice yoga more (as in I haven't been to a yoga class since May!), and spend more time with friends whom I hardly ever see from May-Nov.
I don't think we've worked harder but we're getting older! Plus, we had no housekeeping help for the majority of the season. I already blocked off 4 days in August. Crazy, but I think it's worth it. We're taking a big trip next spring. 3 weeks.
 
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