It’s that time of year again! 

The store decorations are up, Mariah is playing, family gathering plans are being made (or not – thanks, COVID!) and that slightly annoying but still loveable friend is giving us the daily countdown on Facebook.  

Christmastime is coming!

And RIGHT NOW is the time to get your business Christmas ready.

Failing to plan is planning to fail and after the rollercoaster ride that has been 2020, I want to help you have a plan in place to ensure you can be fully present to enjoy the end of year celebrations and have a peaceful and restful break so you are primed and ready to face whatever 2021 launches at us.

So, grab a piece of paper and let’s get to work…

Step 1: Make a decision

The first thing I want you to do is write down the exact date and time you want to finish work for the year. For me it will be 12pm on Friday 18th December so I can attend my networking groups’ final Biz Ladies Lunch of the year. 

Then write down the exact date and time you will be returning to work for the year. I’ll be kicking things off again at 9am Monday 4th January.

Step 2: Get it in the diary

Now it’s time to switch over to your diary and schedule in your stop and start times. I recommend blocking off an hour or two (or the whole morning or afternoon) of your last day as buffer time to tidy up loose ends and deal with last minute things that might crop up.

I also recommend blocking out a few hours or the entire morning of your first day back to tidy things up, deal with your email and plan the rest of your week.

Step 3: Spread the word

Communicating your time off to your clients is really important. Now is a great time to add a line to the bottom of your email signature and newsletters to ensure as many people know when you won’t be available as possible.

This also gives clients time to think, plan and communicate ahead for things they might need from you prior to your holidays.

Need some tech help? Here are instructions on how to access and edit your signature in Gmail and Outlook.

Step 4: Organise your Out of Office

Thank you for your email. We will be closed from… boooooooring!

Come on, no one likes those snore-worthy, stock standard out of office reply messages. 

This year has been one hell of a ride – let’s end it in style!

I recommend getting your Out of Office reply sorted now, so it’s just one less thing to worry about on the day you’re ready to walk out the door. If you’re unsure how to do this, here are some instructions for Gmail and Outlook.

And if you are looking for some inspiration to do something a little out of the box, here are some ideas from Hubspot and Grammarly.

Step 5: Clean up your inbox

Now wait, hear me out!

Imagine for a moment how you would feel if you were able to shut down your computer on your last workday of the year with this message looking at you from your inbox:

This was my inbox this morning.

How does it feel? Amazing! What does it mean?

• I know that I’m on top of all my client communication
• I know that I’ve actioned or have a plan to action all my tasks
• I know that I’ve not missed anything
• I have peace of mind and know that tomorrow when I open my inbox I’ll have a manageable number of emails that I’m well equipped to deal with in a short amount of time

Don’t have the time or skills to get to inbox zero before the end of 2020?

Then I recommend creating a new archive folder (in Outlook) or label (in Gmail) called “2020” and on your last day of work transferring every item in your inbox into the folder so you can still refer back and work through those emails as necessary but they aren’t sitting stagnant, clogging up your inbox. Here’s your instructions for Gmail and Outlook.

The last thing you want to do is take 2020’s mess into 2021!

You also might like to register your interest and learn more about a new Time Freedom coaching program I’m launching in early 2021 to teach coaches and service based business owners how to be more productive, efficient and present in the way they manage their time and get stuff done. 

Click here to find out more and register your interest!

Finally, enjoy yourself! ?

Once you’ve completed all of the above steps you can rest assured that you have set yourself up for a successful end to 2020, and nice relaxing break and a fantastic start to 2021.

I hope you and your loved ones have a safe and happy Christmas and an amazing New Year!