The hectic holiday season will be upon us before we know it! š± Do you feel ready? Or will your work and personal life be competing for all your time and attention? We know the weeks from mid-October to January can be some of the most wonderful times of the year, but they're also the busiest and most stressful. Juggling our work, personal lives and self-care can be a true balancing act. š„“š¤¹āāļø
How can you have a solid routine to stay on track with your business tasks during the holidays? š If you want to be prepared before the holiday overload gets here, we've compiled our best tips below to help you achieve a healthy business with balance. š
š Tips for having a healthy business:
#1.) Don't Be Afraid To Outsource š²
We all have parts of our business that are necessary, but we don't love doing them. Maybe
it's engaging on Pinterest. Maybe it's writing blog posts. š The good news is that there are people who LOVE doing the things that you don't enjoy so why not hire someone to do them for you? š¤ This is a big way to make sure you have more personal time for the holidays.
PLUS, you'll get to spend more time on the parts of your business you love -- connecting with and supporting your members -- AND your business keeps growing because someone else who's really good at what they do is doing the things you don't want to do. Everyone wins! š„³
#2.) Always Aim To Be Learning š
Things in business are always changing ESPECIALLY in the online business world. If you want your business to grow, you gotta keep learning about social media, news in your industry, trends, etc. Take a course. Attend a conference. Have lunch with a business person you admire. Stay curious. There's always more to learn! During the holidays, it's a good idea to schedule in at least 20 minutes of personal development reading or listening to a podcast first thing before you start your day and get busy. š
#3.) Take Imperfect Action š¬
Are you holding yourself back in your business because you're scared you'll fail or it won't be good enough? Remember that 90% of something that's done and out in the world is better than 100% of nothing. Growth comes from putting ourselves out there, doing the scary things, and just plain getting stuff done whether it's perfect or not. You're going to be busy with all things holidays, so don't hold yourself back -- just go for it! š
#4.) Know Your Numbers š°
Do you know how much money you have coming in? How much money is going out? Do you have the money for any monthly, annual or special holiday expenses that are coming up? What about an unexpected expense? Businesses are designed to make money, but you need to know your numbers for that to happen. Make a weekly money date where you update your income and expenses and look ahead to what's coming up so you're prepared for anything expected AND unexpected. Knowing your finances is important all year round, but especially as we head into the holidays and end of year! š
š Tips for creating that work-life balance:
#1.) Have Set Business Hours ā°
We know that one of the perks of working for ourselves is being able to work from anywhere at any time day or night, but that can get unhealthy really fast - especially during the holidays!! Having a healthy work-life balance, requires separating the two. š Having set work hours is a great idea because it allows you to "clock out" instead of burning the midnight oil because people keep messaging you. You created this business partly for the freedom it gives you so "leave work" when it's time to be done for the day, unplug and go live your life and enjoy the season! š
#2.) Learn to Say "No" š āāļø
We know this is easier said than done but it's IMPORTANT for creating a work-life balance. If you're on holiday vacay and someone messages you, it is OK to let them know you'll get back to them when you return. You do not have to drop everything you're doing at a moment's notice. You don't have to do everything that everyone asks of you. You don't have to agree to every new idea. You don't have to go to every holiday party. You don't have to make food for every event. You don't have to put yourself last. Saying "no" is a hard thing to do but it will absolutely save you from burnout. š
#3.) Prioritize Your Health š
You can't have a successful business this season if you're sick with a winter cold and exhausted and burned out all the time. Taking care of YOU will help you take care of your business. š«¶ This means eating a healthy diet, taking breaks, moving your body for 30 minutes a day, getting sunshine and fresh air daily, getting enough rest, and seeing medical professionals on a regular basis. Don't neglect yourself for all the constant holiday fun and work. Try to schedule at least an hour a day just for you. A healthier you means a healthier business for the holidays! š
#4.) Create A Life You Love š
We hear so much about having a work-life balance because it's so important to not simply work all the time. š„µ It can be difficult, though, to step away from work when you don't have a life that you LOVE so start creating it now! Invest in friendships and get together with your people on a regular basis. šÆāāļø Find new hobbies and activities to do. Add things to your home that help you enjoy being there - like some pretty fall or holiday decorations. Take classes and learn new things! Every new experience makes your life richer and makes you an even more awesome person that people want to work with this season and onward! š
If you're feeling any overwhelm and strain of strategizing your schedule with the upcoming holidays, we hope you find these tips helpful or they are at least a good refresher as we enter the season. šāāļø Put a plan in place now for how you will prioritize your work responsibilities, all the end-of-year gatherings, parties & activities, along with special "me time" just for focusing on yourself. š
One last thing, you'll feel less stressed when you lower the expectations you put on yourself and make sure to set realistic goals. Don't feel obligated to do ALLLL the things and take on too much, start by focusing on what you really want and need to do. š Juggling work and life during the holidays may not be an easy feat and it is a challenge you'll face each year -- but we promise there are ways to manage it and achieve positive results. šÆ
If you still need help and would LOVE content creation taken off your plate to free up more time... we are here!! š As we said earlier, outsourcing is a great way to get more things done without adding more stress. Get in touch with us and check out our website to see if our Content Club is right for you! Let us take some weight off your shoulders so you can truly focus on what matters most to you this holiday season - you, your family, friends, clients and business! š
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