😰 What are the top tips business owners can follow to reduce stress during the holiday season? 😄

Improve your resilience by taking care of your gut health. If you want an edge this holiday season, that’s it. The gut produces neurotransmitters that regulate our mood and motivation. Also, don’t neglect yourself. Regular exercise and good nutrition will help you stay on top of your game. We have an awesome lifestyle program we introduced last year, before the holidays and people loved it. Many lost weight!

Stress is not always a "bad" thing.  Have you ever heard "if you want something done ask a busy person"?  Sometimes pressure forges us forward with a laser sharp focus and ability to get things done.  

I also own a local bakery FLOUR BAKERY in Horseshoe Bay.  To make sure that we are prepared for the holiday season (and it will be my first) I have thought about necessary components to make it easier to move volume.  

You may laugh however I have chosen & ordered my Christmas retail now to make re-ordering less of a stress.  (I know I will be roasting of pumpkins and making pies in my spare time for thanksgiving).  These are some tools to think of.. SMART GOALS

Small - Look at the big picture and just take bits or chunks at a time, hand it over to someone else if it is too much - delegate. 

Measurable - Make sure it can be taken off a list and you know when it is complete.  Don't try to take on too much in a day - look at what is priority

Attainable - Make sure you can complete it and it isn't an impossible goal.

Realistic - can you achieve it in the time frame - can you alone or do you need to enlist someones help or hire part time seasonal help.  no time to interview - hire a temp agency.

Time Oriented - give yourself a time frame for each goal and reset the goal after it is completed.

GRACE & SELF CARE - you can't drive without gas.  Breaks, breathing, time out for a walk in nature, cup of tea, exercise and eating well are all part of the gas you need in your engine.  If you need help find someone to talk about it with!

Life is meant to be enjoyed - and so are the holidays!

Get all your inventory and sales materials ready now, if you haven't done so already. Test your online sales process yourself - go through the whole thing like you're a customer, so you can work out any kinks, and then refund yourself. Schedule at least a minimal number of blog and social media posts now, set up to run through the whole holiday season, so you don't have to make time for it later.  If you're ready by Halloween, you can be on autopilot through the holidays.

Simply practice gratitude on a daily basis. Practicing Gratitude will change your DNA (metaphorically), and it’s the path to experiencing joy.

The process of preparing for stressful situations usually boils down to several key elements, no matter what the situation (e.g., business crunch time, interviewing for a job, just to name two). Identify the major stressors; some will be things you can address through "technical" changes. By that I mean, hire more people, assess inventory, buy presents early - in other words, those types of changes that you can easily implement to take potential stressors off your plate. Then take a look at the more "adaptive" changes you will need to make to stay centered during a hectic time.  These are usually related to inner/ self-care work, finding calming methods to practice (balanced breathing - anyone?), eating & sleeping well, looking at your stress behaviors and minimizing the triggers or reframing your attitude to them. In the best of all possible worlds, you'd be practicing the latter well before the stress situation hit - so you can automatically access your strategies. 

Say "no" more often so you can say "yes" more often!

In private, take a few deep and audible breaths. Then reframe your stress into enthusiasm to share with your customers.

I personally find that deep breathing and not taking life too seriously is helpful.

And I believe in treating all employees and customers/clients with dignity and respect. BUT I don't allow myself to be bullied or treated badly  by anyone. I don't let customers/employee bully or cuss out staff. I don't micromanage staff. I don't yell at staff. I have former employees after many years that still keep in touch since I always tried to treat them with kindness and decency.

I have also used lavender oil to relax. And sometimes just leaving the office and taking a short break can help. Many people say that a short walk outside can be very helpful in relaxing and re-focusing. I've also used classical music as background noise to relax. And sometimes just quiet.

At home, I turn off my cell phone and computer. I don't allow business to interfere with family time. I don't want my phone dinging all night with texts and emails. 99-1/2%  of the time the issue can wait until morning. I do allow "emergency" numbers through in case something disastrous occurs and needs my attention.

I have found that exercising can help get the stress out.

If all else fails, go to your bathroom, take a pillow and scream into it. Or scream your favorite cuss word into it repeatedly until you feel better.

Many people say that petting their dog/cat can help them relax. I find that a child's hugs and kisses work great too.

I use a therapy mat called the Bemer. It opens up and increases the blood flow in the capillaries. Result is more energy and stress relief to keep me healthy. I also sleep on it and get 6-7 hours of sleep a night since starting it. It's amazing. 

Preparation is the key, make sure your most salesable items are fully stock, if you are behind on something, try to catch up before it gets more chaotic. If needs be, hire a temp to help your business during the holiday season.