Keeping Focus During the Holiday Hustle: A Guide for Business Leaders

We all do it – we over-plan, over-commit, and over-extend ourselves for the holidays, both at work and at home.

As the holidays approach, it is easy for well-meaning plans to spiral into overwhelming to-do lists, resulting in disappointment and unmet expectations.

For business professionals, this season brings unique challenges, as employees try to balance year-end goals with personal obligations. To avoid holiday burnout and keep your team focused on what matters, let us explore some effective strategies to streamline priorities and support your team in meaningful ways.

1. Prioritize Ruthlessly – Start with What Truly Matters

To set your team up for success, narrow down your objectives to what really needs to get done by year-end. Think of these tasks as the “non-negotiables”—the ones that align with your most critical business goals.

By making a clear distinction between “must-do” tasks and “nice-to-do” tasks, you empower your team to focus on what truly matters, not just what fills up a checklist.
Clearly define:

• Which projects will have a long-term impact on our goals?
• What tasks, if not completed, would hinder us moving forward?
• What is going to do the most to increase our revenues and profits by the end of the year?

Clarifying priorities not only eases team anxiety, but also gives everyone a sense of accomplishment as they complete meaningful tasks.

2. Set Clear, Manageable Expectations

Transparency is key throughout the year, but especially during the holiday season. Be direct and realistic about what can, and cannot, be accomplished within a limited timeframe.

Share the “why” behind each priority, so everyone understands the impact of their work. Encourage team members to set their own expectations with clients, stakeholders, and even family members to maintain balance. As a leader, this might mean saying no to a new initiative or giving team members permission to defer lower-priority tasks until the new year.

3. Give Your Team Autonomy

Trusting your team to manage their own schedules and make judgment calls on priorities builds confidence and reduces stress. Give team members the flexibility to plan their workdays, especially when balancing holiday obligations. Providing autonomy can increase productivity, trust, and morale, as employees feel respected and valued.

4. Encourage Delegation

The holiday season is the perfect time to promote teamwork. Encourage team members to delegate tasks that do not require their specific expertise where possible. This may mean that employees hire their own virtual assistants or virtual assistant services.

In most cases, the individual employee pays for the cost of delegation, since the work is part of their job, but in some cases an organization might pay for a monthly virtual assistant service such as www.FancyHands.com (link with discount: http://fhands.com/PcTtgBm) to help ease the workload.  At $29/month, it can be a great holiday boost!

5. Emphasize Done Over Needless Perfection

I like things done right, as do most people. But sometimes the desire for perfection leads us to stress over things that do not matter. Are you fixing the brakes on my car? Yes, they need to be done right, please and thank you! Are you creating a marketing piece and are spending 6 hours deciding between shades of mauve? Well, that may not be critical.

Perfectionism can be a productivity killer, especially during high-stress times. Help your team focus on “done” over “perfect” to avoid spending excessive time on minor details that do not matter. Establish a culture where quality is important, but completion within deadlines is even more so. This mindset shift allows your team to avoid the stress of unnecessary revisions and focus on moving projects forward.

6. Celebrate Small Wins and Express Gratitude

Take time to recognize and celebrate the hard work your team has put in this year. This could be a simple message of thanks, a team meeting to recognize achievements, or even a casual get-together (virtual or in-person) to celebrate the holiday season. Acknowledging their contributions and emphasizing gratitude can bolster morale, helping your team feel valued and motivated as they close out the year. Gratitude not only uplifts your team but also reinforces a positive, focused mindset for the challenges ahead.

7. Remember the Importance of Volunteering to Cultivate Gratitude

Volunteering during the holidays offers a powerful reminder of our shared humanity and helps us step outside our own routines to connect with others who may be facing different challenges. This act of giving creates a deep sense of gratitude, as it shifts our focus from what we lack to what we can offer, transforming our perspective on abundance and empathy. When we contribute our time or resources to others, we experience the joy of making a difference, which fosters a lasting appreciation for the good in our own lives, no matter how busy or stressful the season becomes.