As visions of sugarplums dance in our heads, strings of glowing Christmas lights line our streets, and the smell of gingerbread cookies and peppermint sticks waft through the air, the holidays are fast approaching, and with them, feelings and memories of love, joy, and family.

But they can also stir up an unwelcome feeling that is anything but merry: S-T-R-E-S-S.

With a few short weeks left in 2019, countless professionals are feeling the squeeze of the holidays, the end of the business year, and quality time with loved ones. There’s a lot to fit in, and time is of the essence.

For some business owners and entrepreneurs, it’s the feeling of panic that they haven’t achieved their goals for this year. They want to finish the year strong by bringing in new business, but if they don’t have a solid strategy, they may end up throwing in the towel and giving up, hoping that they’ll somehow turn things around next year.

Other professionals struggle to find a balance between work responsibilities and quality time with friends and family. Depending on the industry you’re in, this may be your busiest season. Trying to wrap up the end of the year can feel like a treadmill you can’t climb off. And there is often nothing more disappointing than working hard and not enjoying the payoff of being able to enjoy time with your loved ones during the holiday season.

Still other business owners wish that they could buy impressive gifts for every client or host large, elegant get-togethers with family and friends without having to consider the price tag. But if your company isn’t as profitable as you wish it were, the holiday season can be demoralizing and even stressful.

Here’s the good news: It’s not too late to enjoy December without feeling the squeeze. More importantly, it’s certainly not too late to set the stage for 2020 so you can take the new year on with focus and drive.

Right now is the time – today, this minute even – to put together a plan to get what you want out of the holidays and your business.

Do you want to make sure you don’t feel the same panic about your 2020 revenue that you feel now? The time to take thoughtful action is today. Put serious time these next few weeks into creating a strategy for the new year with actions steps and measurable goals.

Do you want to spend Christmas and New Year’s enjoying your friends and family? If the answer is yes, then you’ll need to use this week and next to accomplish your professional responsibilities.

Do you want to be able to splurge on a special gift for your clients, children, or spouse? Challenge yourself to make these next few weeks really count and bring in the additional income needed to cover those expenses.

At the end of the year, it’s easy to be swept away into the holiday madness and lose sight of what you want from your business. Here are 3 important things to reflect on in order to enjoy your holiday – minus the madness – and finish the year thriving rather than just surviving.

Your 2019 Wins

One of the reasons professionals feel deflated and down in December is because they focus on their goals that they didn’t conquer. But, if you sit down and reflect, I’ll bet you’ll see that you achieved more than you think, whether the successes and milestones were large or small. Celebrate and be grateful for the successes you had this year. Let them energize you to dream bigger, plan smarter, and accomplish more in the year to come.

Did you push yourself to try something new? That’s a win.

Did you relinquish control and delegate a task to a team member? That’s a win.

Did you build a relationship with a new client? That’s a win.

You owe it to yourself to celebrate these wins. Let them empower you to set new goals for 2020, laying a foundation for a strategy that allows you to thrive.

Your Values

The end of the year is a fitting time to reflect on what really matters. For many of us, answers like family, freedom, and faith top the list. Although we are passionate about our work, our ultimate goal is to build Legacy Businesses that enable us to spend time with our loved ones.

While it’s critical that you set professional goals for 2020 and take action steps to achieve them, it’s equally important that you spend quality time over the holidays with your loved ones. You work hard all year to be able to provide for your loved ones, but the best gift you’ll ever give them is your time, love, and undivided attention. Work doubly hard today and in the next week. Then when the holidays arrive, turn off your phone for a few days to recharge with friends and family.

Your Lingering To Do List

If you want to start the new year off on the right foot, make sure you wrap up any projects that you’ve pushed off again and again. You don’t want any large projects hanging over your head or distracting you when you should be focused on what you need to do daily, weekly, and monthly to achieve your goals and boost profitability. If you need to eliminate any inefficiencies that have prevented you from being productive, seize the day. If you need to hire a team member to help you wrap up a project, do so. It will be well worth your while and you’ll be able to start the new decade fresh and focused.

As a Master Sales and Business Strategist, speaker, and consultant, I know how challenging it can be to put a plan in action and actually execute it. This is an area of business that many find difficult, so rather than feeling bad if you need support and tools to make it happen, contact me today. We can create a plan that will allow you to build your legacy business, finish 2019 strong, and enjoy quality time over the holidays.

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Celeste Giordano’s mission is to help business owners develop the skills, knowledge and attitude necessary to “DoublePlus^TM” their income and become effective and inspirational leaders in their fields. Whether it’s taking your successful business to the next level or starting a new venture, she will teach you the exact skills and strategies you need to enroll more quality prospects, build a rock-solid team, and break through obstacles to achieve real profit and lasting success. Celeste is a professional business growth specialist, a master sales strategist, and dynamic speaker with 40 years experience in direct sales and managing high-performing teams.

To learn more about Celeste, click here.

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At Celeste Giordano Coaching, I work with each client to implement the strategies they’ve been missing that will enable them to break through barriers preventing them from the success they know they are capable of. Contact me today to find your future clients who just don’t know what they’re missing.