As much as we want to enjoy the holidays, it’s a very hectic time of year both at home and at work. When we get consumed with tasks, it can take the fun out of it – so relieve the stress by getting organized early. We may laugh at people who start their shopping in September, but they may be on to something! So order your holiday cards early, make a gift list, and actually have the time to check it twice for a change.
Here are some ideas that might help make your holiday season run just a little smoother this year.
Gifts & Cards
Getting an early jump on your holiday cards and gifts will take the pressure off, and by ordering ahead of time you give yourself extra time to have them delivered or shipped. Plus, you can then focus on getting those last minute business or personal gifts that everyone tends to forget. And since people usually send cards to the same people each year, print addresses on labels that you can use every year (with the occasional update here and there).
Invitations
Keep track of all the events you have going on by adding them to your phone or computer calendar with an alert. It’s just too hard to keep track of them all in our heads! And since it may not be possible to attend all of the holiday parties, make sure to send a note to inform your host that you will not be able to attend. It tells them that you appreciate the relationship and taking the time to respond shows that.
Consolidating
The holidays come along and time seems to disappear. To keep productivity high and workers happy, see if there are some meetings that can be combined or condensed, and make sure the meeting stays on target to get the most out of it. Efficiency helps everyone increase productivity, and no one wants to sit through a two-hour meeting that could have been accomplished in sixty minutes. No one.
Make a plan for the New Year
Businesses tend to slow down for the holidays, so this is an ideal time to review the past year and analyze what went well and what could have been better. Reevaluating your company’s goals and targets for the New Year will also give you the opportunity to come back from the holidays with new focus and vision. Creating a plan for how to increase productivity, efficiency, and customer/worker incentives can help start the New Year in the right direction.
Handling Stress & Keeping Perspective
There is no doubt that the holidays also create a tremendous amount of stress both inside and outside of the office. Juggling responsibilities for work along with obligations for family and loved ones can become daunting. Try to get organized with gift ideas, holiday plans, and keep your calendar up-to-date with parties and events. Then take a deep breath and make a mental list of all the things you are grateful for. We move so fast that we often lose sight of what’s really important. The holidays are the time of year that we gather our friends and families, granting us the opportunity to tell them how much they mean to us.