Tightrope: Survival tips for the coming holiday season
— -- We are still a couple of weeks away from the start of the holiday season, but, I'm sitting here at my desk watching the first signs of snow and cold weather which, makes me turn my thoughts to what I call the most wonderful time of the year.
It's also the busiest, especially for entrepreneurs who get caught up in long holiday hours to better serve customers, not to mention year-end sales and inventory. And on a personal basis, there are endless hours of shopping, gift-wrapping; cooking and other trimming that accompany the holiday.
The demands placed on the entrepreneur to satisfy clients, customers, friends and family can be daunting and lead to seasonal burnout that can affect your health.
But you can survive the coming holidays and maintain a sense of balance of mind, body and spirit and emerge from the season in great condition by applying these few stress-busters to your life.
•Plan Ahead. More can be accomplished and in less time if you spend a few minutes in the evening writing out a to-do list for the next day.
•Use outside services. I can't emphasize enough that trying to do everything yourself is self-defeating. Unless putting up and taking down holiday decorations is therapeutic for you, hire someone to do the job. For the entrepreneur who does the cooking: if the local deli makes a dish better than you, go with the deli. Do what you do best and delegate or hire out the rest for your business and your home.
•Do one thing at a time. Take a task one at a time and give it your full attention. If you try to do everything at once, it is likely that nothing will get done right.
•Energize your body with exercise. If you don't have time to stop by the gym, do a few stretches and take a brisk 15-20-minute walk.
•Nourish yourself. Take time each morning to spend 10-15 minutes in quiet contemplation to make for a more productive and stress-free day.
These tips may not take all of the stress out of the coming festive season, but it will give you a good start.
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