Christmas might feel miles away, but before you know it, December will be here, bringing festive deadlines, staff holidays, customer enquiries and a to-do list that seems to grow by the minute!
The good news? You don’t need to spend the next few months worrying about it. A little preparation now can make a big difference when things get busy.
Whether you’re expecting a rush of orders or simply want to wrap up the year without the last-minute scramble, here are 5 things to get sorted before the festive season kicks in.
📅 1. Get holidays and cover sorted
If you have a team, now’s the time to check who’s taking time off and make sure essential tasks won’t be left hanging.
Who’ll handle urgent enquiries? Are any important deadlines landing while key people are away? And is everyone clear on what’s expected before the break?
Working solo? Don’t forget to plan your own downtime, too. You deserve a proper break just as much as anyone else!
Your action: Add your planned time off to the calendar and work backwards to see what needs doing beforehand.
📣 2. Get your festive communications planned
December is busy enough without having to think up social media posts or write a last-minute email about your Christmas opening hours!
Start planning now. Think about festive offers, order deadlines, delivery dates, changes to opening hours and when you’ll be available over the holidays.
You don’t need a huge Christmas marketing campaign, either. Sometimes, a few well-timed posts and a helpful customer update are all you need.
Your action: Jot down the key messages your customers will need this Christmas and decide when to share them. Bonus points if you can schedule some content in advance!
📦 3. Check your stock, suppliers and capacity
If you sell products, check stock levels, delivery times and whether your suppliers can keep up with demand. Finding out about a delay now is much better than discovering it when you’re up against a deadline!
For service-based businesses, think about capacity instead. Is your diary already filling up? Can you realistically take on more work? Are there projects that need finishing before the holidays?
Your action: Identify your biggest potential bottleneck and decide what you can do now to avoid a festive-season headache.
🎯 4. Set realistic deadlines
It’s easy to fall into the trap of trying to finish everything before Christmas. But let’s be honest, not every task needs to be completed before you close the laptop for the holidays.
Review your outstanding projects and separate the genuine priorities from the jobs that can wait until January. Leave some breathing room for unexpected requests, delays and the usual day-to-day work.
A realistic plan beats an impossible to-do list every time!
Your action: Choose your top three priorities for the rest of the year and give each one a sensible deadline.
🤝 5. Stop trying to do everything yourself
Here’s a reminder: you don’t have to be the person who does absolutely everything in your business.
Could someone else handle routine admin, organise documents, schedule social media posts or follow up with customers? Could a repetitive task be simplified or a process sorted out before things get hectic?
Even handing over a few hours of work could free up valuable time when you need it most.
And if you don’t have a team, flexible external support can help you manage the extra workload without taking on a permanent employee.
Your action: Write down three tasks you’d love to get off your plate before Christmas. Then work out how you could make that happen..
🎁 A little planning now = less panic later
Getting Christmas-ready doesn’t mean adding another 50 things to your to-do list!
Start small. Pick one area, take action this week and build from there. You’ll thank yourself when December arrives and you’re not scrambling to sort everything out at once.
And remember to plan for you, too. Your business might be busy, but that doesn’t mean you have to spend the entire festive season working.
So, what’s one thing you could get sorted this week to make your December easier?
A little preparation now can mean a calmer finish to the year, happier customers and a much better chance of enjoying that well-earned festive break.
make it happen..
T: 01903 910546 or E: makeithappen@mbsmih.com