As the busy season winds down and you find yourself with more time on your hands, it can be easy to get carried away. The off-season is the very best time to work on business development and preparing for the year ahead and, while personal time is essential, it’s important to continue working hard on your company.
Prioritize business development
Since your workload is typically smaller in the off-season, now is the time to sit down and make plans for a stronger future of the company. Look back at what worked for you and what didn’t work quite so well in the past year. Take the time to address the issues that kept creeping up, whether it’s slow response time to leads or a lacking social media presence.
Educate yourself
During the busy times of the year, there isn’t much of an opportunity to teach yourself and gain more knowledge in the industry. Set aside at least an hour each week to read the latest industry articles and stay on top of what’s trending in the greater world of events, as well as within your specialized niche. Fill your commutes with business books and podcasts so that you’ll be well prepared to truly take your business to the next level in the upcoming year.
Set aside ‘me’ time
In addition to working on your business and on your education, of course you deserve some nice personal time! Take a vacation, get involved in a new hobby or simply spend your time reading for fun – whatever it is that helps you to relax, be sure you are making time for it. Just don’t get carried away – boundaries are essential!
Streamline your schedule
Taking all of these tasks into account can seem like a balancing act, so don’t feel like you have to do it alone. There are numerous apps and programs out there that can help you make time for everything without breaking a sweat. Whether you need an online to-do list to stay on top of your priorities or you need a time management program to keep track of how much time you spend on everything you do, there is certainly a tool out there that can fit your needs.
There are only 24 hours in a day, so be careful that you are spending them wisely. A schedule filled with intentions that will better both you and your company will ensure that you will have your best year yet.
Kevin Dennis is the owner of Fantasy Sound Event Services, a full-service event company based in Livermore, California. Dennis is the current chapter president for Silicon Valley NACE, and the immediate past national president for WIPA.
