I have had several people ask me if I have “recovered from the holidays” and if I am “getting back in the work groove”—as many of you home business owners know, there isn’t always a big lull for us. Sure, some of us take advantage of the time flexibility to take time off during the month of December, but some of us don’t. Either way, the New Year tends to bring a time of re-focusing and getting re-energized for another fiscal year.
I have been writing about budgeting, planning and getting ready “on paper” for another twelve months of work and business, but there is always the energy and motivation part. For some of us, coming back to work full force after having some time off can be a real challenge—we’re behind on our e-mails, we might have let some things slide, we’re feeling the pressure to get the income rolling in again—all of these details can make things seem incredibly daunting.
My suggestion is to just dig in and take it one task at a time. Whether you are a list-maker or not, you will need to priorities what needs to be done daily, weekly, etc. and you might consider starting by returning phone calls and e-mails that might have piled up over the holiday break. Most people will understand if you say simply that you are “catching up after the holidays” and you apologize for any wait or if it has taken you a while to get back. You might also consider giving yourself some parameters or setting some self-imposed deadlines such as cleaning out your email inbox by Tuesday, or returning all the phone messages by Friday. Chances are, you will find that it is those first few calls and tasks that are the toughest and once you start back into taking care of business, you’ll get back in the groove in no time!
Also: Do We Always Have to Be Brilliant and Amazing?