Entrepreneurs: How to Manage your Time Over the Holidays

By: christina rutz

During the holidays, business seems to slow down. People are taking vacations, budgets are all but drained for the year, and everyone is in a festive mood, which means not a lot of working gets done. While you certainly deserve a bit of down time, it’s important to use this period constructively. After all, once January 1 hits, you’ll be back up and running at full speed.

1. Decide What Projects to Work On

If you’re not swamped working on client projects, consider what else you’d like to get done. Maybe it’s time to tackle that stack of papers on your desk, or plan for your business’ growth in 2013. Now is the time to work on things you haven’t had time to do throughout the year. Schedule time on your calendar to take care of them, or they will stay on your to-do list in the new year.

2. Nurture Relationships

It’s also an excellent time to connect with clients and contacts. Schedule coffee and lunch meetings and simply spend the time catching up. The purpose of this isn’t to sell, but rather to build relationships. If you’ve purchased client gifts, this can also be a great time to give them in person. And remember: if you do the inviting, it’s your treat!

3. Connect with Employees

Just as important to nurture are your employee relationships. Make this the time your staff can take a breather. Incorporate an element of fun into the office by hosting a potluck of festive food, taking your team to a movie or playing music (at a decent volume) in the office. Consider hosting an office party at a local restaurant to take the bonding out of the workplace.

4. Plan for Next Year

I’m not sure why we’re so reflective on things at year end, but it’s a nice tradition to review how the year went for your business and make goals or resolutions for next year. You may find that you need to shift gears in terms of marketing or strategy as a result of changes you made this year. Keep your plan for 2013 handy so you can check in on how you’re doing throughout the year.

5. Enjoy Yourself

The purpose of this post isn’t to fill every moment of the holiday season with busywork; it’s meant to help you get the most out of a time where you may be able to focus on something other than sales. That being said, you absolutely should take time for yourself. Watch a few Christmas cat videos to relieve the tension while at work. Take off half a day to spend it with your kids. Treat yourself to a massage. You’ve worked hard this year, and you deserve to be treated well!

Another to-do for your holiday list: incorporating your business. Give yourself the gift of protected personal assets for 2013. Corpnet can advise you on the best corporation for your business type. Contact us today for a free business consultation.