TOP tips for a healthy work-life balance this Christmas

When you live and breathe your business, it can be super hard to switch off — even over the festive season. But getting some chill time with friends and family (and the odd glass of wine) is something every business owner should work towards at this time of year.

Downtime refreshes you. It gets you ready to approach your business with renewed energy and inspiration when you head back to the “office”. And if ever we’ve needed a relaxing, be-kind-to-yourself, oh-go-on-one-more-chocolate-won’t-hurt kinda Christmas, it’s in 2020.   

But ignoring your inbox is easier said than done. 

And even at Christmas, achieving a healthy work-life balance can be a challenge.

After all, the festive season is a notoriously busy time for business. And there are always lots of extra jobs to do at home, too (albeit nice, Christmassy ones).

So how can you keep on top of work and also take time for a well-deserved Christmas break? 

Here are a few tips that might just help:

1.Prioritize, prioritize, prioritize

You might be dreaming of a neatly ticked off to-do list and an empty inbox come Christmas Eve, but this is a hectic time of year and there are only so many hours in a day.

If you try to do everything you’ll end up drained of energy and suffering from major Christmas burnout.

Instead, make a list of everything you need to do — both at work and at home. Then decide what’s essential, what you’d really like to do, and what you feel obligated to do.

This will help you to prioritize your tasks and get to the really important stuff first.

You can put off anything that can wait until the New Year.

2. Don’t be afraid to ask for help

Once that to-do list is in order, work out whether you can outsource or delegate the jobs you think you’ll struggle to make time for.

In your work life, that might mean taking on a temp to cover the additional workload in December. Or seeking out freelancers or agencies who specialize in what you’re not confident doing.

At home, see if loved ones would be happy to pick up some of the slack. Those with a proper Christmas break might gladly take cookie baking, tree trimming and present wrapping off your hands.

And if you’re lucky, you might even get some help with the less glamorous household jobs, too!

3. Set clear boundaries

It’s really important to be clear about what clients and customers can expect from your business over the Christmas period.

First, set boundaries with any existing contacts. Tell them when you’ll be out of the office and when they can expect to have any queries answered come January. This should help to avoid any exasperated emails from people trying, and failing, to get a speedy response.

Next — and perhaps more importantly — set boundaries with yourself. Decide how much time you’ll take off and when you’ll check your emails.

Then once your Out of Office is on, turn off notifications. A bit of Nat King Cole makes for much better background music than a constantly pinging phone!

And if you really have to do some work through the Christmas break, be clear about the time you’ll dedicate to it. Letting work creep into each and every day means you won’t end up feeling like you’ve had a break at all.

4. Celebrate the year!

2020 has been one helluva year… for all the wrong reasons. The vast majority of us will be very keen to wave it goodbye.

But as 2021 draws ever closer, December offers the opportunity to take a step back and celebrate all that you — and your business — have achieved in the past 12 months.

There’s probably been some bumps in the road, and some mistakes you’re sure to learn from. But there’ll also be plenty of successes deserving of a little bubbly and a toast to you!

Taking the time to view the bigger picture can help you to remember what it is you’re working towards, how far you’ve already come, and what you plan to do next.

It’s great for boosting your motivation when you find yourself working harder than ever!

5. Treat yourself

So you set your Out of Office for Christmas… only to find yourself inundated with obligations at home! Real work-life balance means taking some time for yourself — not just swapping one set of responsibilities for another.

Carve out some time to binge on a boxset, take a relaxing walk or indulge the traditions you love most this time of year.

Only a proper break can clear your head, recharge those batteries and get you ready and raring to go for the New Year.

6. Say no to the guilt!

Disclaimer: it’s impossible to achieve the perfect work-life balance, especially when you’re running your own business. So try not to beat yourself up about it.

I, for one, tend to feel guilty when I step away from the business. But also guilty if I’m distracted by work stuff when I’m supposed to be hanging out with family and friends.

The lesson for all of us (myself included)? You can’t do it all!

If you find it hard to switch off completely, don’t give yourself a hard time. Likewise, if you don’t manage to answer work emails as quickly as you would usually, rest easy. Customers and clients understand that things run a little differently between Christmas and New Year.

If, by the start of 2021, you feel more rested and you’re not totally stressing about your return to work, mark it down as a successful, healthy and well-balanced festive season.

End 2020 on a high!

Looking at your to-do list wondering just how on earth you’re going to take time off for Christmas? Let me help! I can take those tricky design jobs off your plate. 

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