Do you have a plan to avoid holiday burnout this year? As an entrepreneur you are stretched to capacity for most of the year and now it’s time to squeeze in the extra holiday obligations! There’s your holiday marketing campaign, managing holiday schedules, shopping for clients and colleagues, organizing a holiday party, year end inventory, strategic planning for the new year… and the list goes on. Don’t forget to add in your personal shopping, wrapping, travelling, meal planning, baking, school plays, etc. Sound familiar? Even looking at this list is overwhelming!
The fact is, we can’t do it all. And when we try, we end up facing exhaustion, discouragement, and burnout. Ultimately, this is terrible for your health but also for your business. Burnout can lead to poor decisions for your business, more conflict with clients and colleagues, as well as a decrease in the quality of your work. We can’t avoid the holidays, but we can certainly take action to avoid holiday burnout!
Define your holiday goals
Be intentional and realistic with what you aim to accomplish this holiday season. By setting realistic goals and expectations, you can feel empowered instead of overwhelmed. When you have scheduled all of your commitments into your calendar, you can clearly see how much time is left over (if any!). Be sure to leave buffer space in your calendar to allow for things going amiss at the last minute.
Delegate to mitigate holiday burnout
Delegating is such an important skill to develop, and especially crucial if you want to survive holiday burnout. Are there tasks on your list that can be outsourced or completed by a team member? Create a system to track who is responsible for which tasks, by when, and how they will provide updates. This will give you confidence that everything is taken care of, and will put your mind at ease.
Sleep to survive holiday burnout
I know this sounds cliché, but there is so much truth to it. Sleep is one of the biggest factors to reduce the likelihood of burnout. Plan to get at least 7 to 9 hours of sleep each night to feel rested and ready when you wake up. Step away from your electronics to wind down at least 30 minutes before bed to increase the quality of your sleep.
Move your body to restore well-being
Exercising is so beneficial for the mind and body. It allows an opportunity to recalibrate, to let go of negative feelings, to find calm, and to improve your focus. So, go for a walk outside at lunch time, wake up early for a 20-30 minute workout, or commit to a yoga practice. Just be sure to make time to move your body. I know this may be an extra item on your task list, but it is important if you want to avoid burnout this holiday season.
Say No when you need to
You have intentionally scheduled all of your commitments in your calendar. When something comes along, if it’s not a solid YES, then be sure to say NO. If it is worth rearranging your current priorities, then make the adjustments in your calendar. However, if it doesn’t make the cut, be confident in saying no. Keeping your schedule manageable is key if you want to avoid holiday burnout.
The holidays can be a stressful time for entrepreneurs and burnout in this season is quite common. Follow these action steps to avoid holiday burnout and step into 2022 feeling refreshed and ready for a successful year! Don’t hesitate to reach out to us if you need a hand!