In a report by the American Psychological Association about holiday stress, it was stated that “women are more likely than men to report an increase of stress during the holiday season.” Regardless of one’s professional role, the research revealed that all women experience unique challenges that span from the beginning of November until the beginning of the New Year. But, I can assure you, with a few easy steps you can have a stress-free holiday.
For women who are entrepreneurs and freelancers, it is especially easy for stress to escalate to much higher levels than normal. Fluctuations in client work, added business duties, taking time off, and unexpected expenses are just a few of the factors that can lead to uncontrolled levels of anxiety and overwhelm.
Thankfully, there are plenty of proactive strategies that self-employed women can leverage to have a stress-free holiday season. Discover some of the best ways to tame the most common seasonal entrepreneurial stressors.
PLAN OUT YOUR SCHEDULE
Whether you are new to entrepreneurship, or a long-time business owner, planning out your daily workflow is a crucial component of stress management. This is true year-round, but it is especially important around the holiday season.
Entering each week without a specific, written plan for your work and personal schedule can have stress-inducing consequences. With each unplanned event that occurs, your days can be sent into chaos before they even begin. When you are in the midst of the hustle and bustle of the holiday season, the added duties that are on your plate require expert level planning.
The solution? Create a written schedule for November, December, and the first part of January.
Although this may seem like a daunting task, having your priorities and commitments on paper (or in your phone) now will save last-minute rushing, forgetfulness, and anxiety. When you give yourself the gift of being able to look ahead and know what to plan for in the coming weeks, you can better cope with the flow of your days.
PRIORITIZE YOUR SELF-CARE RITUALS
When you are in the middle of finishing year-end client projects, extending your hours, buying gifts, and attending your child’s holiday events, it is incredibly easy to drop self-care from your schedule.
Whatever you do, do not forget to care for your mind and body!
During busy times of the year, we all need extra love and care. That’s why you can feel good about giving yourself permission to expand your self-care routine during the holidays.
Rather than waiting until you are experiencing peak stress levels, decide which self-care rituals will be most beneficial right now. Will a warm and calming essential oil bath at the end of most days be what you need to decompress? Or do you need to make it a point to schedule coffee outings with your best friends on a weekly basis? Whatever it is that you need to do to feel composed, relaxed, and restored during the holidays, add it to your schedule right away.
PREPARE FOR BUDGET CHANGES
Even in a traditional 9-to-5 role, the holiday season typically places extra pressure on one’s finances. The purchase of gifts, the cost of special events, and year-end expenses can add up quickly.
On top of this, entrepreneurs and freelancers face an even bigger challenge: irregular client work and pay. In certain industries, this can mean added income for extra seasonal projects, as well as increased purchases of goods, services, and gift cards. However, for many roles, client work can take a dip during the holiday season. In some cases, this can mean the loss of hundreds (or even thousands) of dollars, at a time when personal spending is greater than any other time of the year.
If you are a seasoned business owner or freelancer, you will likely be able to anticipate the coming increase or decrease in your income. However, if you are new to self-employment, you will need to make educated guesses about your pay over the holidays. No matter which outcome you anticipate, advanced planning is crucial. For those who are on the fortunate side of expecting added income, decide how you will spend this money in advance. The stress of impulsive spending could cause anxiety and frustration later on, so be sure to create a plan to allocate your funds accordingly.
For the majority of freelancers and entrepreneurs who will face decreased client work, and less income during the holiday season, now is the time to work on your budget. Make a plan for how you will spread out your finances from now through the end of the year to avoid extremes in pay. If October and November will bring a normal workload, but December and January are your “slow season,” start to cut back on spending right away. Set aside money for gifts, decorations, food, and giving to charity prior to the decrease in your pay. Doing this will help prevent financial-related stress, and will allow you to focus on what is truly important during this time of year.
PLACE BOUNDARIES ON YOUR TIME
Women in particular are pressured to do it all during the holiday season. High-achieving women who are in entrepreneurial roles may face even greater expectations of pleasing family, friends, clients, and others. From sending Christmas cards, to decorating the exterior of your home (and business), to baking Pinterest-worthy treats, you could fill your days with holiday-related activities.
As you probably already know, having every minute of every day claimed with seasonal tasks, your daily workload, and personal responsibilities is a recipe for complete overwhelm and definitely not for a stress-free holiday!
To avoid feeling miserable during the holiday season, do not make it your goal to please and impress others. A healthy alternative is to set firm boundaries on your time by deciding what you will and will not do.
Are you going to send holiday cards to your clients? Decide if this activity is truly beneficial in the long-run, or if your time could be used better elsewhere.
Think you need to bake from-scratch cookies for your child’s holiday party? Store bought may make much more sense for your schedule this holiday season.
When creating your schedule for November through January, be really honest with yourself and your limits. Realize that if you fill your schedule with things you think you “should” do, you will empty the season of beautiful, relaxed moments with friends and family. Set your boundaries now by deciding what seasonal activities make sense for your life at the moment, and which are an unnecessary attempt to please and meet the expectations of others.
As we rapidly approach the 2019 holiday season, understand and accept that you deserve to carve out time for yourself and your loved ones. You deserve a stress-free holiday! While it can be tempting to continue working with a full schedule, and to avoid time off, appreciate the beauty of balance. Rather than setting goals based on achievement and impressing others, make it your mission to create a stress-free season in your life.
Wishing You a Happy, Productive & Stress-Free Holiday!
Valerie
Valerie Jacobsen is the author of The Overnight Freelancer. Her passion is helping people achieve their dream careers by showing those in traditional work roles the best strategies for transitioning into full-time freelancing. She is also a professional writer, working with entrepreneurs and small businesses to meet their content and marketing needs. Valerie earned her bachelor’s degree in communication studies from Marquette University, and her master’s degree in organizational leadership from Gonzaga University. She lives in Moncks Corner, South Carolina with her husband and three lovable (but spoiled) dogs.
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