This year has been a rollercoaster for South African small businesses. Despite most of us suffering from a massive dose of year-end fatigue, we all know the festive season tends to get even busier as customers rush to buy their essentials and make the most of summer. Between stocking up supplies to deal with increased customer demand, trying to keep staff morale high and looking back at your progress during the year, there’s a lot to do.
That’s why it’s important to have proper systems in place to keep your business running as efficiently as possible because it leaves you more room to unwind, breathe and worry less. Our list of 5 tips to help you manage stress will get you ready to deal with the fireworks without breaking a sweat or losing your cool.
Expect the Unexpected
With the holidays in full swing, you have to be prepared for almost any situation. That includes checking your inventory, securing temporary employees, and making sure your systems are working at the optimum level. Are you ready to meet your customers’ heightened needs with enough products? Are all your payment systems working well? Have you trained all extra staff to meet your standard of customer service?
These are all questions and scenarios that have the potential to turn into stress-inducing crises. So, having a plan in place to deal with any emergencies can go a long way in helping you alleviate your stress levels and help you make the most out of the season.
Delegate, Delegate, Delegate!
Managing your time well during the holiday rush is one of the most effective strategies that can help reduce your stress. As an entrepreneur, delegating tasks can make your life easier and protect your business’ livelihood when you need it most. Don’t try to do it all by yourself. Have a “To-do List” and use your networks to support the systems you already have in place.
Streamline your processes even more. Make sure you know exactly what works and what needs to be changed or even automated. This will help you save hours of your valuable time and allow you to spend more time focusing on what really matters in your business during this time period.
Do Your Yearly Review
Being an entrepreneur means that it’s easy to get caught up in life and the day-to-day rush of meeting customer deadlines and selling your services. However, setting aside time to assess how your business performed during the year is an important stress reliever because it gives you a better picture of where you are and where you need to go.
Analyse everything carefully: what you did well and what you need to improve on. Maybe you need to update your product offerings or use your social media channels more effectively to improve customer interactions. Take stock of everything and use that as the foundation to set your goals and strategic plans for the New Year. Also, don't forget to congratulate yourself for making it through a tough year; you deserve it.
Take Some Time Out
Taking care of yourself is just as important as taking care of your business. So, don’t ignore your needs while trying to tackle everything during the holidays. Your entrepreneurial spirit might look down on self-care practices. But still, doing simple things like going for a walk, eating healthy balanced meals, keeping your sleeping routine regular, and scheduling actual time off does wonders for your mind and will help you avoid feeling burnt out at the end of the silly season.
Even if you’re tempted to put in the extra hours, pushing yourself to the limit will only make you miserable and less productive in the long run. So, go on that vacation. It definitely won’t hurt.
Read more: 7 Ways To Manage Small Businesses Burnout
Clap for You and Your Team, You’ve Earned It
Whether you’re braving it on your own or have added people to your team, recognising the hard work that goes into running a successful small business is crucial to managing stress levels and improving morale.
A small gesture like a personalised gift or bonus leave to thank the people working during the week from Christmas to New Year might also go a long way to show gratitude. Also, reach out to your suppliers, customers and other contacts to thank them for their continued support and wish them well for the holidays and New Year.
And Remember…
Aside from the annual targets and goals or sales projections, what makes a South African December special is that it’s a time for spreading love, peace, and joy and sharing experiences and memories with your loved ones. Your business won’t fall apart if you take a short step back. So relax, unwind and enjoy the most wonderful time of the year.
