Written by Expert Panel, Forbes Coaches Council (including Manex President & CEO Gene Russell)
Reposted with Permission — Originally on Forbes.com
The holiday season is an excellent chance to spend time with family and friends and unwind amid the festivities. For many entrepreneurs used to full-engagement mode during weekdays, and even sometimes on the weekends, turning off the urge to squeeze in a little bit of work in the holiday downtime may be difficult. Taking time to simply unwind and enjoy the company of loved ones may seem like too sudden of a shift from an entrepreneur’s normal day-to-day work schedule.
The key to holiday harmony is in finding the right way to juggle your personal life and work needs. Although it may appear difficult at first, with a little planning, prioritizing and prep work, you can make the most of your holiday. Below, 11 members of Forbes Coaches Council share their best methods of balancing business with holiday fun, so everyone is happy.
Here’s what they recommend:
1. Plan Early And Prioritize
For many of us, the holidays can translate into a daunting to-do list preventing us from truly being present to enjoy the many festive moments of the season. The best tip to ensure that things get done and that we have fun in the process is to start planning early and prioritizing the tasks at hand. With time on our side, we can bite off a small chunk at a time and savor each little piece. – Carolina Caro, Carolina Caro LLC
2. Declutter Mental Chatter
Small things matter. Declutter your mental chatter. Take responsibility for your own thoughts by noticing how they make you feel. Then, if possible, change your perception about it or remove yourself from the situation. Refocus by saying “no” to what is not serving you and say “yes” to what empowers you. And most importantly, do what you truly want to do. – Kasia Jamroz, Alyka Solutions
3. Carve Out Time
Plan in advance as best you can. The holiday season is a busy time of year, but for the most part, we know what is taking place from day to day regarding events, work parties and the like. Make sure to carve out time for family events, work activities and time for yourself to unwind and decompress. – David J. Smith, David J. Smith Consulting
4. Trust Your Process
During the holiday season, it is common for coaches and entrepreneurs to focus on their new year launches, client retention and preparing to be surrounded by family who still do not understand being your own boss is a “real job.” It is essential to allow the vision to expand beyond its current form. Work-life harmony calls for coaches to focus on priority-management and trust their process. – A. Margot Brisky, ELDA4U
5. Maintain Self-Care Rituals
Carve out some time for yourself. Self-care is critical to being ready to face the many challenges in our work and personal life, especially as we hurry to complete the work on our desks and prepare for the festivities at home. If we are in a constant state of fight or flight, we just can’t be at our best. Commit to adding priorities focused on yourself, into your day. Every bit counts. – Jerome Zeyen, InsightHR Consulting
6. Set Your Intention, Then Work Toward It
Forget the myth of the superhero who juggles life and the maelstrom of the holidays, all while keeping their daily caloric intake under 1,000 thanks to their 4:30 a.m. workout. Set your intention on what your holiday will look like, and work toward it. But don’t let perfect be the enemy of good. The guardrails you set are flexible, stretching and contracting, just like a pair of Thanksgiving pants. – Damaris Patterson Price, Working River Leadership Consulting
7. Be Intentional About Personal And Work Tasks
There will always be only 24 hours in each day. Be intentional about how you want to spend it. When you say “yes” to one thing, stop to be clear about what you are saying “no” to. It’s always a choice. Prioritize each and every day with a list that includes personal and work tasks. Include critical things that allow you to renew, like a walk, meditation, a workout or reading your latest book. – Christine Pouliot, Evocent Coaching Inc
8. Utilize A Prioritized To-Do List
I utilize the agile frameworks I teach my clients for organizing my personal life and business. I maintain a prioritized backlog of to-dos, with the most important item to complete at the top of the list. Each item enters a simple workflow from “To Do” to “Doing” to “Done.” This creates a single-threaded focus on high-value activities and achieves much faster results than multitasking. – Sabine Brandt, The Business Refinery, Inc.
9. Set Limits And Have Discipline
Balance is important. Not everyone can be like Jeff Bezos and live in a harmonious circle, get up without a clock, workout and not set early morning meetings. We recommend setting limits and having the discipline to manage work with timelines and achievable goals. Leave work at a reasonable time and you will find yourself in a refreshed and strong mental state of mind. Eat right, exercise and sleep. – Gene Russell, The Corporation for Manufacturing Excellence, dba Manex Consulting
10. Stick To Your Plan
It is easy to get distracted, and even more so during the holidays: That’s why you need to have a plan. Decide in advance what and who is most important to celebrate, and then decide on activities based on your plan. Knowing what is most important is part of the struggle in finding the right balance. Take five minutes at the end of each day to see what worked, what didn’t and what’s next. – Cynthia Howard RN, CNC, PhD, Ei Leadership
11. Set Expectations Then Communicate
One strategy that works well is to set clear expectations for yourself and then communicate them with others. People will appreciate when you let them know of your competing demands. If your intention is to commit a little time each day to check into either work demands or holiday plans, schedule blocks of time for each and identify only those critical things to get done in those blocks – Adena Johnston, CCI Consulting
