Making the most of December for your business

December’s here and so begins the run up to Christmas. For small business owners, it’s often the one time of the year when they can really switch off as most businesses close down for a few days at least. But we’re not there yet and there are still a few weeks of 2018 to go before starting to look to a new year. 
 The run up to Christmas itself can feel flat for those small businesses not caught up with seasonal activity. Combine that the fact that many are tired after working flat out for the past 11 months and December can mean a real challenge in just keeping going. 

 But there are things that you can do to get the balance right for you and your business whether you err on the side of the Grinch or embrace Christmas totally and wholeheartedly! 
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We’ve pulled together a few tips to embrace the run up to the festive season: 

• Make the most of the few weeks before everyone closes for Christmas by focusing on something you may have let slip in the past months. This may be blogging, admin or networking for example. This will help you concentrate your mind on something worthwhile and alleviate a bit of guilt at neglecting certain jobs. 

• Get outside every day to soak up some daylight. In winter, it’s hard to keep up the self-care that’s so important to small business owners. But getting away from your desk and having a break from all your screens reaps so many benefits. You can read more here.
• This is a good time of year to look at the routines that support your business. There’s a lot of evidence to show that a morning routine helps set you up for the day. At the very least, if you begin well then even if the rest of the day turns out to be challenging you’ve started out well. And it’s within your control. If you get inspiration from reading about other business owners, try My Morning Routine by Benjamin Spall and Michael Kander here.
• Christmas and parties go hand in hand. It’s important to celebrate – SME owners are really bad at patting themselves on the back so take some time out to enjoy yourself. It’s also a good time of year to do some networking, catching up with those people you’ve been meaning to contact for months.  
• Cashflow is a constant concern if you run your own business and you may not have the budget to spend massive amounts on friends and family. But giving loved ones your time can be more important than anything. Resolve to be present when you’re seeing people over the holiday period and not constantly checking for messages and emails. 
• Look forward to planning for 2019. New year, new plans. If your business does quieten down in the last weeks of the year, take the opportunity to use that time to re-focus and get clear about what you want to achieve in the next 12 months. Take yourself out of your usual working space and go to a co-working space, coffee shop or hotel. A change of scenery can mean a change in mind set allowing you the freedom to think about your future. 

 
Use the next few weeks well and help prepare your business for a successful 2019! 
 
 Photo credit: Oleksandr Pidvalnyi