Yup, it’s that time of year again…where we start to think about Christmas…and how to make the most of the busy shopping period.
Chances are you might have already mapped out your Christmas plans, what products you’re going to offer, where you’re going to sell them.
But I guarantee there’s one thing that you might NOT have thought about…and that’s your CHRISTMAS SELF-CARE PLAN.
I get it. It’s not as shiny and exciting as the brand new products, the going out to meet new customers. But it is essential. And here’s why you need to think about it now:
- Christmas is stressful, period. If you don’t make a plan there’s a high chance you might get burned out.
- If you get burned out (not only is this highly unpleasant) you won’t enjoy the festivities and will come to dread Christmas every year.
- You are also likely to be highly unproductive if you get burned out, and will miss out on the chance to make up for the (let’s face it) frankly weirdly unpredictable year we’ve had.
Yes, not making a self-care plan could make you: miserable, ill and broke! Frankly, not a great plan then, I think you’ll agree. I’m SOOO glad I got these tips to you in time, so this isn’t you.
But I bet you’re wondering how you can create a self-care plan then?
Here’s my three steps to staying sane (and profitable over the festive season):
Make a simple plan:
- The first thing to do is to plan exactly what you’ll be working on, and stick to it. Don’t be tempted to work on a thousand different ideas. Just pick one or two and do them really well. That means ONE new collection, or maybe one product in a range of colourways or sizes. Keep it simple and focused and not only will it make it easier for you, but it make it less confusing for your customers.
Time blocking:
- This is the NUMBER ONE way I’ve found to be productive – time blocking. Each day segment your day into workable chunks of say, 1 hour. And schedule different tasks into each segment. Put on a timer, and if you don’t finish your task into the allotted time slot, then move on. You’ll soon get more done as you know you only have a short time to finish what you’re working on. RESULT! Make sure you schedule one or two needle-moving tasks (i.e. things that actually move your business forward every day) N.B. designing graphics on Canva might be fun, but will it bring in any cash if you do nothing else?
- Using a project management tool like Click up can also help allocating tasks to your time and help you stay productive.
Schedule time off:
- YES, actually block time off into your diary and stick to it. It may be tempting to say you’ll take time off when you’ve finished a certain task, but do you actually end up doing it? Time off is really important and helps you start the next task with a clear head.
So there you have it…three things you should implement if you want your best Christmas ever – both in terms of productivity, sales and sanity!