Staying Productive During The Holidays: Small-Business Owner Edition

The holidays are busy, especially for small businesses trying to expand their reach and carve their own space in the corporate world. Initially high, the seasonal excitement can turn into less hectic days as customers settle down after peak shopping season. This can make small business owners feel underwhelmed, especially after spending months attempting to race against time. While it’s easy to give into this slump, utilizing this time correctly can enable multiple opportunities for small business owners to stay productive. 

How? Here are six tips to help owners stay occupied, even during the holidays.

1. Prepare for the New Year

The days following a heightened holiday rush can often feel staggering and inactive for small businesses, especially since most of their services/products have already been purchased. However, this doesn’t have to mean a decrease in motivation or ambition, especially not with the new year right around the corner. The (temporary) slow pace can be an excellent opportunity for small business owners to get a head-start on plans for the new year. This can include outlining goals for the upcoming year, brainstorming strategies to increase brand visibility/reach, and experimenting with content ideas to promote new and existing products.  Business owners can also dedicate the time to planning their budget for the next year, especially since the festive cheer can make this part of the process a little more fun– yes, it sounds too good to be true, but it works, we promise!

2. Follow Up with Customers

As the adrenaline from the holiday rush dies down and customer visits/purchases become less frequent, small business owners can feel unsettled and easily anxious about their brand appeal. Instead of leaning into those worries, owners can take advantage of this time and nurture the relationship with their brand audience. Think personalized seasonal greetings and holiday-themed thank-you messages to remind customers you are thinking of them. Instead of pushing sales or brand promotion, small business owners can simply enjoy the freedom of communicating with their customers without a time constraint. 

3. Clean Up The Workspace

Be it physical or digital, a well-managed workspace is especially crucial for small businesses to stay organized and efficient. Just as a crowded dashboard can make it hard for drivers to see the road ahead, a poorly maintained workspace can make it difficult for business owners to keep track of their tasks. So, to avoid chaotic scheduling and missing spreadsheets (and a lowered motivational drive), business owners can use the holidays for some winter cleaning. Replace those writing-filled workbooks with the shine (and smell!) of new ones, or if you’re too cool for paper, rearrange those Word documents to create space for new ones. Organize your digital files, check up on any subscriptions, and if you really want to go crazy, close out all those tabs that have been open for months. Trust us when we tell you nothing can make tackling the new year easier than a browser without any tabs!

4. Update Social Media Sites

Whether you are a small business owner who believes in the “New Year, New Me” philosophy or just like to switch it up now and again, the holidays are a great time to adjust your brand’s social media platforms. This could be as simple as saying “Bye Bye Bye” to old posts (Deadpool style) or just changing the profile photo. However, business owners can also use this time to introduce any modifications to the brand aesthetic, experimenting with visual alterations to gauge the audience’s reaction and encourage engagement through feedback. This can get the creative juices flowing while helping ward off the holiday slump and keep business owners primed and ready for the new year. 

5. Take An Online Course

The fast-paced nature of the modern world requires constant education and review of trends and market concepts. As the busy year winds down, the holidays allow time for business owners to indulge in personal growth. Enrolling in short online courses to brush up on marketing practices or learn new frameworks for running your own business can help you stay on your toes. Business owners can update and refine their knowledge bases, inevitably projecting those new insights into shiny strategies for the new year. It’s a win-win if you ask us!

6. Relax and Recharge

Productivity isn’t just about working 24/7 –  it’s also about creating and sustaining work-life harmony. Owning and running a small business is no easy feat; late nights and early mornings may have been routine during the year, but the holidays are a time to loosen the reins and let yourself breathe a little. The calm of the post-season rush can help small business owners reset and rewind, allowing them to cut down on working hours and tune in to the holiday festivities. Likewise, they can spend time with loved ones without feeling guilty about neglecting work commitments, preventing burnout and mental exhaustion come the new (work) year. 

Conclusion

The holidays don’t have to be daunting for small business owners. Equipped with the right mindset and quality measures, powering through to the new year can be less challenging. From planning to focusing on self-care, small business owners can productively navigate the holidays and recharge for the upcoming year.