Being an entrepreneur means having the freedom to do more of what you want to. For me, that means work. Many people look forward to enjoying their time off, but I don’t think of the holidays as time off. As is true for all small business owners, there’s never truly a time I’m not on call. If you’re self-employed, your business doesn’t stop. You’re still responsible for your bottom line. And for some of us, this is actually the busiest time of the year!
Don’t bother becoming annoyed that no one is available this week or the weeks before and after Christmas. There are ways to make the most of the holiday season that have nothing to do with anyone else and everything to do with you. In fact, I think the holidays are a great time to be productive, if you approach them with the right mindset and a little planning. (On that note–decide whatever it is you want to get done in December now.) After all, your phone won’t be ringing off the hook. Fewer people will be making demands of you.
1. Get organized. I work from home, so it’s easy for me to clear my desk of clutter. But taking the time to sort out your mind is even more important. What have you been thinking about? What’s been nagging you? Are there any lingering doubts that have been bothering you? Are there projects that you have been meaning to get to that keep floating around in your head? Write them down. Categorize them. Do your best to put your mind at ease. For me, that also includes cleaning out my email inbox.
2. Catch up on your reading. I have a stack of business magazines a mile high that I’ve been ignoring for the past few weeks and am looking forward to reading this weekend. The same goes for a few books I’ve had my eye on. Simply put, the holidays are a pleasurable time to familiarize with what’s going on in your industry and the world in a leisurely way. Ask your colleagues and friends what they’ve been reading for additional suggestions. I always find that I’m inspired and fired up after reading a good book.
3. Set your intentions for the next year. More often than not, we’re too distracted by the mountain of day-to-day tasks before us to focus as much as we want to on the big picture. You probably have an idea of where you want your business to be in three and six months, but what about a year? Five years? I find that I often do my best thinking when things are “slow.” Whether it’s going for a walk or chatting with family, getting away from my desk causes me to think more freely. I wish this weren’t true, but it is!
If you’re anything like me, you won’t be able to take your mind completely off your business over the holidays. Don’t waste time berating yourself for that. Instead, accept the holidays for what they are and use these tips to make the most of them.
Originally published on November 26th 2014.
