Be honest. The last time you went away, did you take your laptop? And did you open it?

If you did, you're far from alone. More than a third of business owners have never managed a proper two-week break, according to research by insurer InsureandGo. When asked why, most pointed to money rather than workload.

Research by Tide last December paints a similar picture. It found the average small business owner takes just 15 full days off a year. Employees are entitled to 28 days' paid holiday, including bank holidays. One in six business owners takes no holiday at all.

The problem isn't that business owners don't want time off. It's that many don't feel they can afford it.

Why two weeks away can cost more than you expect

For many small businesses, taking a fortnight off doesn't just mean paying for a holiday. It also means earning less while many of the usual costs continue.

The rent still needs paying. So do wages, insurance, vehicle finance and software subscriptions. If you're the person who wins the work, delivers it or both, two weeks away can easily mean a month with lower income while your regular bills barely change.

That's why advice like "just switch your phone off" often misses the point.

For many owners, it isn't a willpower problem. It's a cashflow problem.

What actually helps

The first step is working out what a holiday would really cost.

Choose a typical two-week period and estimate how much income you'd lose alongside the bills that would still need paying. It shouldn't take much more than a bank statement and ten minutes. Most people find the real number is less intimidating than the one they'd imagined.

It also helps to work with your business rather than against it. Most businesses have quieter periods during the year. Looking back through last year's bank statements or invoices can often reveal the fortnight when taking time off would have had the least impact.

If holidays always feel financially uncomfortable, treat them the same way you treat your tax bill. Setting aside a small amount each month to cover lost income can make taking time off much less stressful.

You probably don't need someone to run your business while you're away. Often, you just need someone who can answer the phone, reply to emails and reassure customers that you'll be back next week. For many small businesses, that's enough to make a proper break possible.

It's also worth arranging a financial safety net before you need it. An overdraft agreed while business is healthy is much easier to obtain than one requested when cashflow is already under pressure.

The number that explains it

One statistic from the research says a lot.

Among sole traders, 21% take no holiday at all. Among business owners with 50 to 99 employees, the figure falls to 7%.

The ambition is no different. The work ethic is no different. The biggest difference is that larger businesses have more people to share the workload.

For businesses with three or four employees, the reality often sits somewhere in between. You're no longer doing everything yourself, but stepping away completely can still be difficult.

What about holiday entitlement?

If you run a limited company and pay yourself a salary under an employment contract, you're generally entitled to statutory paid holiday in the same way as other employees.

Many owner-directors, however, pay themselves mainly through dividends or don't have a formal employment contract, so the legal position is different. In practice, the entitlement often matters less than whether the business can continue earning while you're away.

Start with the number

You may not be able to take two weeks off this summer.

But you can work out what it would actually cost.

Once you know that figure, taking a holiday becomes something you can plan for, rather than something that always feels just out of reach.