By Alyssa Gregory
Ahhh, Thanksgiving. One of my favorite holidays. Thanksgiving is a great day to regroup, recharge and, of course, give thanks.
Turkey takes a long time to cook, so while you’re waiting for the oven to ding, you may find you have some extra time on your hands. And there are a number of things you can do for your small business in between spending time with family and friends. Here are a few that require just a little time, and can be started and stopped as you have time during the day.
Get Caught Up on Social Media
Take a few minutes and finally get caught up on following back on Twitter, circling on Google+ and scheduling posts on your Facebook page. I know I often fall behind during the regular workweek, so having some low-pressure time to catch up is perfect for me.
Start Goal Setting for Next Year
You do have a consistent goal setting process, right? Regardless of where you are in your business, you need goals to avoid complacency. If you haven’t done this regularly, don’t worry. Start with this Goal Setting Guide for Small Business Owners.
The key with all goal setting is to start small, one step at a time. Don’t get overwhelmed, just use small pockets of time during the holiday break to jot down ideas you may have to start the brainstorming process.
Clean Up Your Email
There will (hopefully) be less emails pounding your inbox over the holiday, so use the slow time to work on your email management process. At a minimum, delete the junk and flag items for action when you get back to work. You may also want to unsubscribe from some of the email newsletters you get but never read.
Prep Your Holiday Cards
Have e-cards and social media posts replaced the good, ol’ fashioned paper cards? Not for me. You can accomplish lot by sending cards that tell your contacts you’re thinking about them and you appreciate them, during a holiday or at any time of the year. So, use the quiet of the holiday to order your cards, fine-tune your mailing list, or start to write personal notes.
Stop and Do Nothing
You can do all of the things I listed above, or maybe the holiday is a great time to just take a break. Leave your work for when you get back to the office, and — gasp — keep your computer off for the day.
There is no shame in taking time off, letting go and unwinding. Use the downtime to reconnect with family and friends, and give yourself a much needed break from the daily grind. Your work will always be there tomorrow, and you may come back even better than before.
Happy Thanksgiving!