Is less stress at the top of your Christmas list? For the sake of your sanity and the best interests of your business, follow these steps to remain calm and collected as the year comes to a close.

1. Outsource! Look at everything you need to do before 25 December. Is it doable without losing the plot? Write a list of what you can pass on to a trained virtual assistant or someone (less busy) in your team.
2. Say No. Often there’s a sense of guilt when we refuse an invite, opportunity or request but if you take everything on, you’ll suffer. It’s already a busy time of year, so the next time someone asks you something – check to see if it’s something you want to do or feel you have to do. Then if you can, politely say no.
3. Lean on your support network: Will you be working longer hours in the lead up and during the festive season? If you need to be able to prioritise your business over everything else, you’ll need a hand to make sure other areas of your life stay standing. Talk to your family. Enlist their help if you need it. You could even do a skill-swap with friends – mow their lawn in exchange for a meal.
4. Leave some tasks till 2020: There’s often a feeling of ‘I jussssst want to get this done by the end of the year’ running through our veins in December but taking time to relax over the holidays means letting a few things go. Write a ‘to do’ list then break it into three categories: must do, should do, can probably wait.
5. Hide your phone: The best present you can give yourself over the Christmas break is presence. Time away from work, spent doing what you love to do, and truly relaxing. Putting your devices in a drawer (even just for an hour!) will do you the world of good before launching into the new year.