As we’re beginning to approach the end of the year, it’s all too tempting to start “writing” of all of those things that we didn’t get to, couldn’t quite cut, or “ran out of time” for – but nothing could be a worse decision.
True, in times like these where so much of what we planned has been returned null and void or lukewarm at best, the temptation is to throw everything off the desk and start everything from absolute scratch.
Well, this ain’t the movies, that’s for dang sure, so that approach seldom works when it comes running our lives, and as busy “Mompreneurs”, the one thing we know more than anything else – is that we never give up.
So before the silly season starts in earnest, we’re going to give you five fabulous ways to keep your life organised as you head into the Christmas season and how to start 2022 with all of your ducks in a row.
5 Ways To Survive The End Of 2021 And Setup 2022 With A Bang
#1 IF YOU WANT SOMETHING DONE, GIVE IT TO A BUSY PERSON
There is actual logic behind that statement; it’s not just one of those “nice to knows”. The supposition is sound – a busy person already knows all the hacks to get from a point to another in the most efficient way possible.
It’s no secret, “Mompreneurs” are already pretty adept and managing life and work, but in as much as we all know that we can do it all, in the run-up to one of the busiest times of the year, it’s a good idea to get some help. Don’t worry – we won’t tell. But the added benefit of having that one other person who can run all the details means that you’re free to start concentrating on what needs to start getting planned beyond the now – and that’s January 2022 and beyond.
#2 ORGANISE YOUR LIFE BEFORE CHRISTMAS – LONG BEFORE
If you can beat that universal shutdown that starts happening in South Africa from around the end of November and extract just a few more sharp business days out of the year, you’ll be so glad come 2022. Keeping your teams motivated (if you have them, if not – keeping you motivated) means that you can face your clients in the best possible position come the new year. Here’s a guide to get you started.
#3 AVOID THE CHRISTMAS COUNTDOWN AT ALL COSTS
As soon as the weekly countdown starts, it’s almost as if we all start checking out. You have to keep your teams motivated – you’re not suddenly paying them less.
Therefore the workload must happen. That’s not to say that you can’t start winding down on projects that have to be wound down on, but ensure that you have a solid continuation plan for those projects that will follow you into the new year.
If necessary, appoint a project Czar to keep the connections moving between Christmas and New Year.
#4 GET BACK TO WORK IN JANUARY – YOU CAN TAKE A HOLIDAY LATER
Cape Town is overcrowded and markedly more expensive in this period anyway. Here’s what you want to do:
Keep your most important and labour and time-intensive projects on the board and make sure that all stakeholders fully understand every moving part. Finalise everything you can before Christmas – long before, so that all that’s happening in the meantime is quality management, improvements in policy wording (where necessary) and the like.
#5 DON’T GO IT ALONE
If you have several pitches to make or deals to close and they involve interacting across moving parts to deliver on digitally sound campaigns, or if you just need to make sure that your digital landscape is being appropriately managed – get someone to do it. Unrulyagency.com is going to keep a handle on it.
Whatever you do, don’t fall into the end of year trap. Millions of Rands worth of potential revenue and cost versus deliverable benefit is lost due to the incorrect assumption that everyone gets to take their foot off the petrol. Carefully managed and motivated – you’ll get there.
