Christmas is right around the corner, so why not reward yourself?

It’s so hard to know what to do when you’re not working, especially when you work long hours running your own business.

It’s an easy trap to fall into, but before you know it, you’re sending emails on Christmas Eve.

So in today’s post, we’ll give you cause for a pause. It’s time to not think about work for a change – especially at Christmas time. 🎄

Switch off!

It sounds simple, but when you’ve been working hard all year, it’s just so important.

Whether you’re spending time with family or friends, going for a trip into nature, or just switching off your phone for a few hours, the hours you’re not working will give you that extra boost when you do return.

I run my own business – so I know what it’s like. There are always things you can be doing, and if you love to work like I do, it’s hard to switch off.

But if you do spend time doing other things, you’ll give your mind a ‘rest day’. This is often when you have your best ideas – you’ll be back at work in the new year, brimming with excitement.

You won’t get everything you want done

Christmas means time off for your team, and with that comes less work, fewer completed projects, and a smaller and more fragmented workforce.

So accept it! Obviously, there will be projects you want to prioritise, and this shouldn’t change, but if you know that you don’t have the capacity to do something, don’t worry that it won’t get done.

Did you need to redecorate the salon before Christmas? Or struggling to shift your final online stock? Ask questions about your operations, and find out what’s vital. Anything else can wait.

Say no to new projects

If you know that you’ve got enough to keep you ticking over the Christmas break, start saying no to things.

Sounds counterintuitive – surely you want more business? Well it’s not worth it to risk your staff’s happiness. Or your own!

If you’re not struggling to meet your targets, or you know that you’ve got enough money coming in to keep things running, it’s sometimes best to park any new business conversations until you know you can deal with them.

Things can always kick off in the new year, and you’ll be better prepared to deal with them.

Throw a Christmas party!

If you haven’t planned it already, it’s not too late to host a Christmas party. This is a great way to reward your staff for all their hard work, leaving them feeling excited and rewarded in equal measure.

Even if you just take everyone out for a meal, or get some drinks in and have a bash in the office, it’s worth bringing your team together to celebrate the year you’ve just had.

It’s what Christmas is all about, after all.

(Plus, an accounting tip from us – you might be eligible for a tax exemption on the costs of your party, as long as it fits certain criteria from HMRC!)

Give us a call

We know what it’s like to worry about spending time away from work. It’s hard. And you feel like you’re missing out on important things.

But life is too short to work all the time, and Christmas is about spending time with those you love, or having fun with your work colleagues for a change.

Don’t get caught up in the ‘always on’ lifestyle and embrace some downtime this festive season.

Give us a call to talk about your Christmas plans.