‘Tis the season

As the year winds down many of us are looking back and wondering where the months went. Then we’ll gaze ahead to the New Year, maybe even write a few resolutions, set a few goals. For many industries, Christmas is one of the busiest times of the year, though if you’re in an industry where Christmas gives you a bit of breathing space, here’s a few activities to consider.

 Update your website
Yes, a taskmany of us have been ‘getting to’ all year. Consider the message you’re sending. Is it still congruent with the current stage of your business? Are there products and services that need to be added or deleted? Does it have all the information would-be customers or clients need?

 Write down your procedures
This is another thankless task that only really gets appreciated in moments of high stress. For example, I have a three step ‘procedure’ on how to add a vacation message to my email. This is a very simple task, yet I do it so rarely that I forget how it works. Having a very brief procedure saves me about an hour in completing a three minute process. So perhaps consider the times that you feel as though you’re ‘re-inventing the wheel’. Think about what works for you and write a procedure that encompasses those things. In practice, you’ll probably need to tweak the steps, though in the long run this will save you time and angst – especially if you’re delegating to staf.

Filing
Okay, now I’ve sent you running for the hills . . . . or the medicinal brandy. I do not some business people who file regularly. I file too – into a pile called “filing”. Down time is a great opportunity to clean up your filing. Even an hour can make huge inroads into that seemingly ominous pile.

Start a wellness program
No, I’m not insane.Christmas is a great time to start a wellness program. This is different to ‘getting fit’. It’s about integrating activities that really improve your mind, body and spirit. That might be going for a jog, or it might be yoga, tai chi or meditation. Maybe work in an extra glass of water a day and leave out an extra glass of wine or the piece of chocolate cake. And if you’re thinking that this might be a selfish thing that doesn’t benefit your business, consider how being clear-headed and feeling energized will impact on your productivity.

Take a day off
Reward yourself. You’ve worked hard all year, so give yourself sometime just for you. It can be a whole day, a half day or even an hour where you do something that you want to do. It might be going to a movie, taking a drive down the coast, having lunch with – or without – a friend. Give yourself the gift of doing something that truly makes your heart sing.

Stuck for a gift?

What do you give the person who has everything? How about some school supplies? A goat? Or yes, even a toilet? Tear Australia (www.tear.org.au) is one of many non-profits that offer a gift catalogue that benefits those in less ideal circumstances. Or if you’re an animal lover, sponsor an animal. You can adopt an African animal (http://shop.awf.org/adopt/) or become a Friend of Melbourne Zoos (http://www.zoo.org.au/). And there’s always making a financial contribution in someone’s name. For a range of charitable options simply google ‘useful gifts’ or ‘charitable gifts’.

If you consider that charity should begin at home, consider giving your spouse a voucher that means you’ll cook dinner, mow the lawn, babysit the kids, wash the dog or weed the garden – whatever might make them feel extra special and give them some precious me-time.

 The Full-Split Challenge

It is almost December 31 st. That date when my splits were to meet the floor. Unfortunately, that is a goal that will elude me . . . for now. Still, I am feeling more elastic than I think I ever have and am confident that with a bit more diligence in the stretching area, it will be merely months before I’m only an inch or two away from our carpet.

Saying to Soar By

Sports do not build character. They reveal it.

Heywood Broun

Email: mandy@talkingturkey.com.au
Web: www.talkingturkey.com.au

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