Organize Yourself to Holiday Cheer Part 2 of 3

Now you are really feeling the crunch. You have your schedule planned but now you must execute it to every detail to make sure your holiday time off goes as planned. Well, here are a few tips on how to keep this time of the year organized and stress free.

Delegate. If you have too much to do, it just might be your fault. Are you using all your resources? Did you contact your VA and pass off a couple tasks that you don’t necessarily have to do? Sometimes, we are our own worst enemy when it comes to always wanting to take control and do everything ourselves. Remember that your virtual assistant is there to help.

Debrief. If your staff members are experienced, you likely don’t need to leave a step-by-step operating procedure, but make sure if any specific sets of instructions are needed, you leave them where they can be found and write them with plenty of time. Brief the people before you leave because usually in your hustle and bustle to leave, you aren’t leaving the most detailed instructions. Even better yet, plan on bringing your replacements in the meetings a few weeks before so they are in the loop, or have them look over your should the week before so they can ask questions and see what you did to complete your day-to-day tasks. This will help them feel more confident about doing the task while you are away, and it will help you avoid calls while you are supposed to be relaxing.

Leave yourself a note. This may sound a little obvious, but you will also want to make your return to be as smooth as possible. Think of the tasks that you may not have completely finished. You will want to be able to step right in and get back to work. Here are some ideas:

• Reminder to turn off your out of office reply
• Where you are with any unfinished tasks
• Immediate action items
• Your to-do list your already created
• A list of appointment times to meet with the people to whom you delegated tasks

Declutter and clean. When you leave, make sure your desk is clear, and your office is ready to come back to work. It will give you peace of mind as you walk out there door, and it will give you a nice fresh start to help you from feeling overwhelmed the moment you walk in the door. If you have someone completing daily tasks while you are away, make sure they know where everything is and where it goes.

A few organizing tips:

• Have a place for everything
• Throw away what you don’t need
• Label your folders and drawers
• Get your desk back in order before you leave each day
• Ask for help

Congratulations! You are ready to head out the door and enjoy your time off. Make sure you take this time of to “reset” and recharge. Part 3 has many tips of how to relax and make this time off the best yet.