subject: The Numbers Or Us? [print this page] Tis the season to be jollyTis the season to be jolly. You have to love the holidays, nothing but more stuff to add to your ever increasing to do list. With year end planning for our clients, prepping for 1099 work, budgeting for next year and still managing to maintain all the regular client work, our to do list is plenty long enough already at this time of year. Now let's add a bunch of holiday preparation to our already extremely busy schedules, increasing our tension levels and adding a whole lot more stress to this already stressful time of year. It's enough to throw you into a complete tizzy. It's not like we don't already have enough work to do. It makes me wonder, who is really being crunched these days? The numbers or us?
So how do you get through this stressful time of year?
Shorten your list, then delegate what is left. You cannot do everything, so stop stressing yourself out by loading more onto your plate than you are humanly capable of doing. First, you must decide which items on your to do list are the top several priorities. Just start crossing off anything that is not an absolute must do (baking cookies for every long lost relative, having a seven course holiday meal, going to every single party you are invited to, getting the kids that one impossible item that you can't find anywhere). Next start delegating what is left. Do you have co-workers that can help with your clients' year-end prep? Do you have family and friends that you could get on board to help with your holiday preparations? Grab everyone you can and put them to work. You cannot do it all yourself, so stop trying and recruit already.
Get realistic about the help you have. Usually our expectations for other people are too high, which can result in us getting frustrated and disappointed. Everyone is not exactly like us and everyone has his or her own area of expertise. Don't assume that everyone will do it exactly like you would. Recognize their strengths and embrace their weaknesses. Try to delegate them tasks in their areas of expertise. If you want everybody to be "happy," don't plan on loading him or her down with unrealistic expectations. You want to be able to productively work together and get things done without it leading to getting on each other's nerves.
Let go of that stress and just be healthy. With all of the stuff you got going on, it's hard to not be stressed. Make sure that you don't forget to step back for a minute and just take some time for you. Take the time to relax and unwind, otherwise you won't be of any good for clients. When you allow yourself to get too overwhelmed and stressed, mistakes can happen because you are just not thinking clearly. When you're not at your very best, you can't give it your best. Try doing activities that can help you to decrease your stress level. Exercise really helps with stress, so does eating and sleeping well. Lay off the drinking, it does not help. A lot of alcohol will disrupt your sleep cycle and make you feel even worse.
Remember the true spirit of the holidays. Whether it is about your time together with your family or your religious beliefs, remember what it is that you love about this time of year and embrace it. Reflect on your life and think about your future goals. Where did you come from and where is it you want to be? Think about the spirit of the holiday and do something that makes you feel good about this time of year. Share that spirit with everyone in your professional and personal life. Take a few minutes each day to just sit back, relax and think about what the holidays mean to you.
