Earle Yasin, an independent Financial Advisor in Vancouver, takes full advantage of the summer.

“I take half the summer off,” says Yasin, both a registered financial planner and a certified financial planner with Balanced Financial Service Ltd. “But I do a series of small trips. Three days here, one week there.”

And whether Yasin is visiting Inland Lake, Vancouver Island or Whistler, he generally remains available to clients.

Joanne Ferguson, an advisor coach with Advisor Pathways Inc. in Stratford, Ont., on the other hand, encourages advisors to take a complete break from clients — a time during which they are virtually unavailable.

So, whether you’re in and out of the office like Yasin, or follow Ferguson’s advice and take a complete holiday from clients, these tips can help you get your rest without neglecting your business:

> Inform Your Clients. Leave a clear, up-to-date voice-mail message explaining where you are, when you’ll be back and whom to call in your absence. Put the same information in your automated out-of-office e-mail message.

> Entrust Your Team. It’s not enough to simply let staff take phone calls while you’re away. Instil a sense of trust by letting your team members make outgoing calls to clients throughout the year, says Tammy Price, an advisor with ScotiaMcLeod Inc. in Mississauga, Ont., who works with four other advisors and an assistant. If your clients already have a rapport with your team members, your absence will not matter as much.

“I’ve worked with my team for more than 15 years,” says Price. “Over time, it works.”

> Educate Your Clients. They should know that virtually every concern can wait for the length of a reasonable holiday. If your clients understand the principles of diversification and planning, one week of market turbulence or a missed opportunity to buy or sell will not make a huge difference.

“Our clients are fairly well trained,” says Price. “No matter what happens in the market, they know their plan will take them through.”

> Develop A Process For Emergencies. Major market meltdowns are possible and it’s polite to let concerned clients know that you’re thinking of them. “If something significant happens, there should be a process in place to deal with it,” Ferguson says. IE