Ah, the final working day before Christmas—a magical mix of excitement and mild panic as you juggle wrapping up tasks and, hopefully, some actual gift-wrapping.
For small business owners and the self-employed, it’s a bit like preparing for Santa’s sleigh ride: everything needs to be in place so your “return to work” doesn’t feel like unravelling a string of tangled fairy lights.
Too distracted/excited/overwhelmed to get down to business? Here are our top tips:
🎄Make a list (and check it twice): Take a cue from the big man in red and write a list of the tasks that absolutely need to be done before you leave. Prioritise what’s essential—client emails, invoices, last-minute orders—and leave anything non-urgent for January.
🎄Once your list is complete, do a quick sweep of any stragglers in your inbox. Mark anything that can wait until January as “unread” or pop it in a “To Do After Christmas” folder. Trust me, Future You will thank you.
🎄Wrap up loose ends (with a shiny bow!): Whether it’s sending that one overdue invoice or confirming final delivery dates, tie up any loose ends that could become headaches when you return. Got a client who always emails at the most inconvenient times? Drop them a friendly note outlining your holiday dates. Better to preempt a “just one quick thing” message than deal with it mid-mince pie.
🎄Set an OOO (with a ho-ho-ho!): A good out-of-office email isn’t just polite—it’s like having a tiny assistant while you’re off eating mince pies. Keep it friendly and professional, include your return date, and add an emergency contact option (if absolutely necessary). Alternatively, if you want to add a touch of scandinavian charm to your out-of-office, why not ‘Out Horse’ your email, where an Icelandic Horse writes the message for you… https://www.visiticeland.com/outhorse-your-email/
🎄Clear the decks (and your desk): Even if you’re not the tidiest person, give your workspace a once-over. Put away stray papers, file important documents, and clear your desk of clutter. Coming back to a clean workspace in January feels oddly like starting with a blank slate—and less like walking into Santa’s workshop after an elf rebellion.
🎄Prep your January to-do list: Before you officially switch to holiday mode, take a moment to jot down your top priorities for January. This could be a key project, an important client call, or even something simple like “Restock the tea bags” (an obvious priority). That way, you can hit the ground running instead of spending your first day back wondering where to start.
🎄Then, when you are ready, pop on a festive hat, turn up the Christmas tunes and crack open the Christmas cheese (you know – the special stuff that you buy specifically for Christmas, and absolutely cannot start until the festivities commence) – and have a very happy Christmas and a fantastic New Year!