Eat, drink and be merry. If only Christmas were that simple.

When you run a business, Christmas can be a stressful time of the year. You may need to juggle sluggish cash flow, staff going on holidays and, like everyone else, a multitude of personal commitments.

So what can you do to get through the Christmas period without turning into the Grinch?

Up the exercise

We all know exercise is great for reducing stress. But don’t wait until the New Year to up the ante at the gym or dust off the bike helmet. Use the Christmas holiday period as a chance to do more of something you enjoy.

Not only will this help you relax and take your mind off work, it will counter some of the excess indulgence that tends to happen this time of year – helping you feel healthier, happier and more energised for 2020.

Boost cash flow 

If the holiday period is stressful because there’s less revenue coming in, do what you can to boost your cash flow until you’re likely to be busy again.

Are there any outstanding debts you can call to be paid before Christmas? Do you any have insurances or membership fees you could pay by the month instead of annually? Could you use your credit card more than you currently do for large business expenses – like your ATO Tax Bills?

Using a third party payment system like B2Bpay  can help you keep cash in your account longer. You also get the added benefit of earning credit card reward points, which could help you pay for next year’s Christmas holiday!

Take a (proper) break

Business owners are notoriously bad at switching off from work. It’s one of the reasons your customers love you, but it’s also a common cause of stress because you rarely take a real break.

The Christmas period is a good chance to take a time out when most of your customers are doing the same.

If you can’t shut down completely, why not entrust one of your staff to take the reins for a week or two? Who knows, you may even find that leaving someone else in charge works out fine – which will make you more comfortable to do it again.

Put family first

If you spend the year having to say no to family functions and other social engagements because of work commitments, use the holiday period as a chance to make up for lost time.

By prioritising your family and encouraging your employees to do the same, it helps build a healthy work-life balance that everyone in your workplace will appreciate – which in turn will help you attract and retain valued people.

Be Santa

It always feels good to do something nice for someone else. So why not treat your staff or customers to a surprise gift or get together? It can be a great way to build relationships and shows your appreciation for the people who are important to your business.   

If you’re not sure what an appropriate gift might be, consider a prepaid credit card  that lets your recipient buy whatever they want. You can even personalise the card with your own brand so they think of you (in a good way!) when they open their wallet.

What will you do?

Whatever strategy sounds right for you, now is the time to do something that might help de-stress over the Christmas period. Get it right and it could be a gift that keeps on giving for many years to come!