1 in 5 Small Business Owners Would Give up a Vacation Day Rather Than Their Smartphone

As summer kicks in, more small business owners and entrepreneurs are likely planning to pack up and go on a much deserved vacation. While conventional advice is to switch off the smartphone and step away from the office for that deserved break, a new study has found smartphones can actually help you relax while on vacation. You don’t need to switch off the smartphone to have a relaxing vacation.

Smartphones Better Than Vacation Days?

According to a recent survey of small business owners on their mobile device use by peer-to-peer lending marketplace Funding Circle, one in five (20.4 percent) small business owners said they would rather give up a vacation day than their smartphones for a week.

Maybe Not, But They Can Help You Relax While on Vacation

Funding Circle also found more than half (56 percent) of small business owners surveyed find their smartphone gives them the flexibility to work wherever and whenever they want, so they can make time for other passions.

Nearly half (49 percent) said their smartphone keeps them in closer contact with loved ones while away from home — via tools like text messages throughout the day and video calls while traveling for work.

Forty-four percent said having their smartphone helps them relax during vacation time because it gives them peace of mind to know if there’s a problem with the business at home, they are accessible.

Peace of Mind While on a Working Vacation

Other studies have noted less than half of small business owners opt to take any time off work at all, often because they feel uneasy completely disconnecting from their business and loved ones during vacations. Funding Circle’s study shows taking your smartphone with you for that fun-in-the-sun break can help alleviate some of this unease and ensure you enjoy a truly relaxing working vacation.

Funding Circle used online platform Survey Monkey to collect responses from 1,377 U.S. small business owners between March 1 and March 13, 2017.

Using Smartphone Photo via Shutterstock

This article, "1 in 5 Small Business Owners Would Give up a Vacation Day Rather Than Their Smartphone" was first published on Small Business Trends