The numbers or us?

This is the season to be joyful. You have to love the holidays, nothing but more to add to your growing to-do list. With year-end planning for our clients, preparing for 1099 work, budgeting for next year, and still managing to keep all regular client work going, our to-do list is long enough this time of year. Now let’s add a ton of vacation preparation to our already extremely busy schedules, increasing our stress levels and adding a lot more stress to this already stressful time of year. It’s enough to make you completely nervous. It’s not that we don’t have enough work to do. Makes me wonder, who is really getting pounded these days? The numbers or us?

So how do you get through this stressful time of year?

Shorten your list, then delegate what’s left. You can’t do everything, so stop stressing yourself by carrying more on your plate than you are humanly capable of. First, you need to decide which items on your to-do list are the top priorities. Just start checking off anything that isn’t absolutely essential (baking cookies for every long-lost family member, having a seven-course holiday meal, going to every party you’re invited to, giving the kids that impossible item that doesn’t you can find anywhere). Then start delegating what’s left. Do you have co-workers who can help with your clients’ year-end preparation? Do you have family and friends you can bring on board to help with your vacation preparations? Take as many as you can and put them to work. You can’t do everything yourself, so stop trying and recruit now.

Be realistic about the help you have. Our expectations for other people are often too high, which can leave us feeling frustrated and disappointed. Not everyone is exactly like us and everyone has their own area of ​​expertise. Don’t assume that everyone will do it exactly as you would. Acknowledge your strengths and accept your weaknesses. Try delegating tasks to them in their areas of expertise. If you want everyone to be “happy,” don’t plan to burden them with unrealistic expectations. You want to be able to work productively together and get things done without getting on each other’s nerves.

Let go of that stress and stay healthy. With all the things you have to do, it’s hard not to be stressed. Make sure you don’t forget to step back for a minute and take some time for yourself. Take the time to relax and unwind, otherwise you will be of no use to clients. When you allow yourself to feel too overwhelmed and stressed, mistakes can happen because you are simply not thinking clearly. When you’re not at your best, you can’t do your best. Try activities that can help lower your stress level. Exercise really helps with stress, as does eating and sleeping well. Stop drinking, it doesn’t help. A large amount of alcohol will disrupt your sleep cycle and make you feel even worse.

Remember the true spirit of the holidays. Whether it’s your time with your family or your religious beliefs, remember what you love about this time of year and embrace it. Reflect on your life and think about your future goals. Where do you come from and where do you want to be? Think in the spirit of the holidays and do something that makes you feel good this time of year. Share that spirit with everyone in your professional and personal life. Take a few minutes each day to sit back, relax, and think about what the holidays mean to you.