Year end is a busy time of the year. Year end, according to the classic song, is “The most wonderful time of the year.” Even with all the stress, we can take steps to help make it a more pleasant time of the year. A little thought, preparation, and notes can ensure that next time you will know what to do to enjoy the season.

The to-do list is a must have for every business owner. Whatever method you use for maintaining your to-do list, it is important that you triage the activities to move from crossing off as many items as possible to selecting the items with the greatest impact.

You may be shocked to hear me say it, but it is okay to work on holidays. The caveat is you need to not be working other times of the week. In preparation for a holiday, read to determine if working on the holiday is right for you.

You are not going to get everything on your to-do list done this week. If you are preparing for some time off, that is even more unrealistic. Instead of overwhelming yourself with an incredibly long list, it is time to differentiate the Need-to-do’s from the Want-to-do’s.

Star charts were an incredible tool for motivating us to do our chores when we were kids. As adults, we no longer need a chart to remind us to do the dishes and go to work. But perhaps a star chart would be a helpful tool in our professional lives.

It is easy to let emotions take hold and prevent you from moving forward. Having a dog that runs anxiety induced circles has taught me that breaking the cycle of our emotions requires a lot of effort and different techniques. It is important to take the steps when you find yourself running in circles if you want to keep moving forward.

Some say if your business is not growing, it’s dying. But growth can also kill a business owner. You didn’t go into business to lose the life you were living or hurt your health. There are steps you can take to move your business in a direction that will be personally sustainable.

As yearend approaches, you do not need to return to the frenetic pace of 2019. It is time to blend your 2019 and pandemic paces to create the new way to enjoy the end of the year.

When you have reached the state of overwhelm hit the pause button. Continuing to go in the vicious circle never solved anything and will heighten your emotional reaction with each spin.

What metrics do you use to assess your productivity each day? The number of tasks you crossed off your to-do list? The speed with which you completed the tasks? Your level of satisfaction with the items you crossed off your list? How much closer you are to achieving your goals?

Is each day a scramble to the finish? Trying to get as much done as possible, respond to team member questions and needs, deal with customers, moving so fast you often are not sure if you responded or simply thought of responding. It’s time to take the first steps in ending the chaos that is your life.

There are thousands of reasons people make the leap into business ownership, but that may not end up being what you enjoy most about the work of your business. After some time has passed, the excitement and enjoyment of taking the leap can be replaced by the exhaustion of trying to make it successful.

2020 has been a struggle for focus and consistent productivity. I've pulled together the tips that have worked best for me to kick distraction to the curb (at least temporarily).