So the season of goodwill is approaching. You know that you really should have been organised and got those presents in by now. Even to have them wrapped up so that you can concentrate on carrying your business over the disruption of the unusual trading hours and demands over the holiday season. Every year you have good intentions of buying presents in the summer sales and then sit back smugly as you watch everyone else run round madly in the few weeks before Christmas till they are frazzled.
And yet..somehow that didn’t happen. You thought about it in the summer but you just couldn’t quite get yourself worked up enough to start looking around. You weren’t in the right frame of mind and somehow it seemed soulless, despite how good it sounded when you planned it last New Year.
So now Christmas is approaching fast and you have barely started. And then there’s your business. Now, the really mean fact is that many businesses have their busiest periods right at Christmas too. Therefore not only can you not afford any slack with your work but you probably have to work harder and longer hours than ever. And still get the presents and food for your friends and family. How on earth will you manage? Where do you start?
Well, however late you start you must begin with a plan of sorts. Work out how much time you might realistically expect to put in to maintain your business operations. How much is left over for shopping? Can you enlist extra help from any quarter (for work or shopping)?
Going physically shopping can be either your greatest treat or your idea of nightmare. Yet actually seeing goods in the shops can be really helpful. It’s not always easy to imagine the size and quality of items you find online, unless you know just what you’re looking for. If you run your own business then make the most of your flexibility and go shopping in the daytime. It may still be busy in daytime December but nothing like it is at weekends. In my mind nothing beats a good old root round the shops. But you do have to be in the right mood for it and not be hassled by the ticking of the clock in order to enjoy it. Try to go when you know you won’t have to rush back for a meeting and be constantly clock watching.
If shopping out is not for you then online is a convenient and easy option. This can be done whilst watching television or in bed, for example. Or set aside a few minutes at the start of each day to buy and/or research presents online. It won’t take out too much time from work and you’ll also feel like you’re making some progress each day.
Make the most of the many discounts that can be found for online shopping. There are many organisations that send out daily discounts and special deals or offers by email. Alternatively, just search on a company name followed by the word “discount” and you will usually find something on offer. These can save you quite a bit of money. The downside to this, however, is that all this searching can displace time you would have spent on your business. It’s all too easy to get carried away on the internet and keep clicking on new links to look for further deals.
Don’t leave it too late to shop online in case the goods don’t arrive in time. Also, don’t shop online too early as it may be too late to send unsuitable presents back after they have been looked at and discarded on Christmas Day.
A quick way to shop for everyone is to pick one store’s catalogue or website and tell yourself you have to buy everyone a present from that one place. Ideally it should be a company that sells a wide choice of goods but there will still be a limit and this should help you decide on what to buy quicker.
Try to catch the days when the online supermarkets release their Christmas shopping slots. You can then book your grocery deliveries and avoid the pandemonium of struggling through the food stores on Christmas Eve, looking for that one item that sold out.
To speed things up, ask people to give you present ideas. They may not have a surprise but they would normally prefer to receive something they actually want. Tell children to write out wish lists. They’re not just for Father Christmas; family and friends would appreciate them too.
With effective planning you can organise your own Christmas as well as keep up with your busiest time for your own business.