Every Friday I post a “here’s the thing” blog. “Here’s the thing” is something my mum (and many other wise people) like to say when they’re about to make a good point. Hopefully these posts are also good points.
For many of you, today’s the final day of taking and sending out orders. Some of you will keep going into Saturday or Monday with express orders. But for all, the end is in sight. Woohoo!
What a whirlwind. December seems to have flown by. And, for many, this year has been a bit, well, weird. Black Friday was a thing in the UK for the first time. Sales patterns have been vastly different for many. There’s been a LOT of holding your nerve. (One client said she had enough of it, thank you very much.)
Some things haven’t changed: the exhaustion from worry and/or long days, the isolation of being your own boss and making all the decisions, and the delights of ‘where’s my order?’ emails from expectant customers. (Tip: just email them back as soon as possible, even if it’s just to say wait a bit longer. They’ll feel heard and tended to.)
From the outside perspective, it seems like when the busy-ness stops, it should be easy to just flop into a state of relaxation and happiness. And, often, there is that moment of elation and joy. But, in my experience, when you’re not pushing towards the finish line any more, doubts and fears and the sheer emotion of adrenaline fallout can leave you in need of more care and attention than expected.
It’s time to be incredibly kind to yourself.
You might find that family obligations quickly kick in to replace the work obligations. Perhaps your family and friends don’t necessarily “get” the incredible amount of effort and energy that Christmas takes for you. And if they do, your nearest and dearest might even feel a bit resentful of the time you spend on your business at this time of year. Stranger things have happened, and if any of those apply to you, you’re not alone.
So here’s the thing:
I want to encourage you today, this weekend, as you’re winding up, to do as much as you can to show yourself the Christmas spirit. Choose as many of these as you like:
- Write yourself a to-do list of things that need following up when you do work over the Christmas period, or when you’re back in January. It’ll help your tired and addled brain to take a break from remembering everything. 5 minutes now will make a huge difference later.
- Write a letter to your future self, or just a list of things that have happened this Christmas that are worth remembering. Which day was the hardest or busiest? What helped you get through it? Which marketing tactics worked for you this year? How do you feel right now? Capturing all these things in the moment will help you to plan and take care of yourself more next time.
- Drink a lot of water. You’ve probably hit adrenal burn out, and your body needs some serious TLC. Water is the basic way to replenish it.
- Consider taking vitamins D and C. Vitamin D supplements replace what we normally get from the sun, and vitamin C is essential for fending off seasonal colds and flu.
- Sleep. A lot. As much as you can. If you’re having trouble sleeping, try Neal’s Yard Remedies’ night time aromatherapy roll-on, or Cook’s Organics’ sweet dreams foot cream.
- Take a bath. Or a really long shower. Great for some alone time.
- Listen to music you love. Or, if you need inspiration, try my vintage Christmas playlist, relaxation mix, or joy playlist. Or you can always just listen to the Holiday soundtrack on repeat, like me.
- Give yourself comfort. Whether you’re staying at home or travelling, give yourself extra pillows, blankets, cosy socks, big jumpers, and your favourite hot beverages. It’s the season of comfort and joy, after all.
Ultimately, it’s about putting your own oxygen mask on first. And if you’re still working, see how many of these things you can find time for before you finish.
From my little business to yours, well done for all your hard work and creativity this year. I hope you all have a wonderfully festive Christmas break, and I look forward to being back in the new year!
Jx
PS If you’re thinking ahead and fancy a business review in the new year, don’t leave it too long to get in touch… January’s booking up fast!
Great post Jenny. I write a ‘lessons learnt’ note to myself every year during Xmas. I stick it on the month of November on the office calendar so that I don’t forget to look at it the next year. One of the things I actioned this year after learning from last year, was that I extended my delivery times in the 2nd week of December, so that I allowed 3-4 days after dispatch for 1st class post. It’s the complete opposite of what we are asked to do, but so far I have only had 2 (touches wood) ‘where is my order’ enquiries, both of which have now arrived, so as far as I’m concerned, that’s a fantastic lesson learnt result :0)