As the song says, It’s the most wonderful time of the year! Shopping season is upon us, which is great news for your business. But this also means, extra work, extra tasks, and extra, well, everything. So how do you keep calm and carry on? And how to navigate the holidays for your business successfully? Today, we’re giving you some of our top insights to help you do just that.
Prioritization
Have you ever felt challenged when it comes to multi-tasking? Well, don’t, because it’s been proven to be impossible. According to the book The ONE Thing, multi-tasking is a term invented to describe what computers do, not humans. In short, it’s a hoax, and something to stop trying to do to save yourself time and stress.
In place of it, start with prioritizing. Consider first what is essential to complete for the day, week, and/or month, and begin there. If it’s a task that’ll take no longer than 2 minutes, do it immediately, to check it off the list. And, if a larger project, break it up into steps, so as to not feel overwhelmed. By doing this, you’ll see (and feel) your success along the way, encouraging you to keep on to its completion.
Batching
Batching is what it sounds like. Can you “batch” a number of projects together and get them done all at the same time? Perhaps you’re recording videos to turn into YouTube shorts–set aside time to shoot all of them in one fell swoop! Or maybe you’re recording your brand’s podcast, and could knock out a few episodes over a day or two? Checking off the list this way enables you to have more time later, as well as supports creative cohesion on certain projects.
Scheduling Time Blocks
You do that which you schedule. In fact, we all do. Yes, it’s great to live “in the moment” and be “spontaneous”. But when it comes to your brand’s productivity, planning in advance is imperative. This goes hand-in-hand with prioritizing: decide your priorities then schedule time blocks for each task. And honor them as sacred. Meaning, turn off music, phone, email, etc…anything that might distract you from that time, and focus in on that block to finish your task. Find the concentration space that works for you, then build it for when you need to “hone in” on a project.
Delegate
We struggle with this one too. It’s easy to try and do it “on your own” but, the fact is, none of us can. We all need (and deserve) support, so be sure to delegate to your team accordingly. This starts with honoring where you, personally, excel, and what tasks you should handle. Then recognize your team member’s strengths, and trust them to then accomplish the goals you assign.
And for our one-human-wonder teams out there (we see you 😉 ), first off, way to go! Secondly, remember you deserve support, too. So, look to collabs with other creators, or even to friends who might be able to help with that much-needed inspiration when your energy is low. Life is all about delegation, both in and out of the office, so embrace your strengths and look to other sources for where you require guidance.
Schedule Breaks
So, you’ve scheduled your workload. Good for you! You know what else needs scheduling these days? Rest. Yep, as crazy as it sounds, it’s probable rest is at the end of your priorities list. But it shouldn’t be. Research shows that even taking a short catnap of 20 minutes boosts your focus and creative abilities.
So, don’t give in to the pressure of pushing yourself to “finish off the year” by overworking and depleting your resources. Instead, utilize the skills we’ve mentioned above: prioritize your rest, delegate to others so you have adequate time for restful recovery, and schedule periods where you detach from work and recharge. Your work–and self–will be better for it.