Despite under immense pressure, small business owners can keep their head above water with these useful tips during this holiday season.

When the days are noticeably shorter and the mercury plummets to below 10°C in weeks leading to the festive period, many Londoners get ready to take some time off and partake in a series of merry gatherings.

But for many small business owners, particularly those in retail and those who run eCommerce sites, the six weeks before Christmas are an intensely busy period with endless stock to manage and orders to fulfil, all happening at a time when staff want to go on holidays. If you are feeling overwhelmed or stressed, then this post may just be what you need.

Recognising seasonal stress

Headaches, muscular tension, stomach upsets, skin disorders, these symptoms may not appear at once but they do creep up when you are busy, and your occupied mind tends to write them off as you continue to work relentlessly attending to the seasonal boom.

The strange thing is that you may even feel energised and excited, particularly when you see orders popping up on screen or customers buying items in bulk. It is only at the end of the day that you feel both physically and mentally exhausted, but you continue to push yourself through it again the following day.

Even though you think you are in control, never underestimate how stress and exhaustion can affect your mental and physical health.

Top 5 tips for surviving the busy holiday season

Be prepared

As a small business owner, you are responsible for the wellbeing of yourself, your employees and also your company. Set expectations for everyone involved and make sure that they are ready to handle the intense workloads with you. You can also make it clear of the rewards (if any) once it is over. It is also not uncommon to hire temp staff or ask family members to help out too.

Time management is critical

At Berley, we see small business owners as superheroes but even superheroes can’t do everything themselves. Focus on what you are good at and delegate as much as you can.

If you require a helping hand assisting you with accounts and bookkeeping, most importantly giving a clear picture on your cash flow, give our small business accountants a call on 020 7636 9094 today.

Have a break plan

Structure the days so everyone involved can take turns to rest and recharge. Encourage them to do something different during the break, like going for a run or watching a short humorous video. The break plan can also include post-holiday arrangements – who will take well-deserved leaves to de-stress first and who will go next.

Stay positive

The moment a team member starts to whine, the negativity can quickly spread like a virus and affect the entire team. Remind them that this busy period is not permanent and encourage them to stay positive.

Have something to look forward to

Time flies when we are busy and when we have something to look forward to, and the ‘something’ can refer to small rewards happening now and a bigger reward at the end of the day. For example, if you tell your team members that they will enjoy free sandwiches and cakes on the following day (which do not cost much to provide), you will see their excitement and how much they look forward to them.

Remember, everyone can survive and even thrive during this holiday seasons, provided that you know how to manage it correctly and take steps to lower the stress levels.

Berley can help your business flourish during the holiday season

As specialised small business accountants in London, Berley can help your business with any financial concerns during the holiday season and throughout the entire year.

As mentioned earlier, entrepreneurs are like superheroes who take on a variety of tasks and responsibilities. But even superheroes can’t do all by themselves, which is why they need a team of supporters behind them. In this case, we are your supporters for all things finance and accounts. Our small business accountants are here to work alongside you to ensure that your numbers are correct and they can support your business thrive and receive the success it deserves.

We can help your business with:

• Audit & Accountancy services from online accounting, bookkeeping to company audit.
• Outsourced payroll services.
• Tax services including tax advice, tax planning and VAT.
• Specialist Financial Services including wealth management, international business advice, business growth and helping specialist sectors.

To enquire about our services, call us on 020 7636 9094 today or get in touch via our Contact Us page.

If you found this interesting, check out:

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• Customer experience: a discussion worth having

This post is intended to provide information of general interest about current business/ accounting issues. It should not replace professional advice tailored to your specific circumstances.