Holidays are a Great Time to Work

If you're working full time for an employer and thinking about, or have just started a business, or are already in business, you know that holidays do not signal a day off.  Holidays signal the day when you can finally work on your business, get some things organized and try to gain some traction.

I have spent more holidays working over the past four years than I care to count.  In some ways, holidays are the perfect work day:  everyone else has off, so if you have kids, it's likely your spouse or other family members are home; no one is emailing you; your employer doesn't expect you to check in; you can't go anywhere anyway because everything is closed; and if you're a full-time salaried employee, you're likely getting paid!  The downside: it's a holiday and you should probably spend some time with your family.

This year, I have finally learned to let go and delegate some tasks to others in my business.  It's hard, but it has made me more organized and efficient.  Aside from a day earlier this year when I was really sick, I am not sure that there's been a full day where I haven't done at least some work in over a year.  I have small kids, a husband and two geriatric dogs and realized that's kind of sad.  If you own a business, you know there's that constant feeling of "go go go, don't let 'em catch you" in the background.  As if taking a single day off will undo the years of hard work you've spent building your business.

So, this Thanksgiving, while it might be the most perfect opportunity to get work done, I vow to not do any work.  None.  No checking work email, not researching my next great marketing project, nothing.  I will try to not even read any business books or articles, but that's a little too outside my comfort zone.  Baby steps.  By spring, I'm hoping I can take a real vacation and not even check my phone while I'm away (!).

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