How To Still Move Your Art Business Forward During The Holidays

Christmas is only 10 days away and I’m already in the mood to check out, bake some cookies with my kiddos, do some light reading, watch some holiday movies, and check back in after all the wrapping paper has been cleaned up. (I do tend to get REALLY productive the week between Christmas and New Year’s.)

But, if you’re like me and have a hard time unplugging completely, whether out of dedication to your customers or the need to make money for your family, there are still ways to keep moving forward without the overwhelm.

So I’m going to share with you my secret ways of pushing my business forward, whether it’s the holidays or simply another busy season for you during the year.

Here are 7 ways to save your sanity and still move your business forward, even during busy season:

1. Adjust your time blocks

   A lot of times we over-schedule, whether it’s in our heads or on paper, and we block out way too much time for doing something than is necessary. For example, I’ve found myself thinking, “okay, I need to clean the house… that’s going to take me all day,” but, when I actually do the things that need to be done (2 loads of laundry, empty the trash, sweep the floors, vacuum, and get the dishes in the dishwasher), it really only ends up taking me one solid hour plus maybe 45 minutes later to fold and put away the laundry from earlier. Which means, I can sneak in some time to either work on my business, prep or plan meals for the week, or go for a walk, even if it’s just for 15 minutes. While it might seem like these small chunks of time are insignificant, you can get a lot done in less time than you may think and still move forward. (For some business ideas, read 15 Things To Do In 15 minutes For Your Online Art Business.)

2. Don’t let your peaceful moments go to waste

   Don’t worry, I’m not going to tell you to give up your peaceful moments to work. I am going to tell you, however, to use them to see life clearer, for it is in the peaceful and joyful moments that we can get real clarity for our lives. Use them to think ahead to what you want your life to look like. Use them to feel, deep down, what you can do to give back to humanity. Use them to get inspired for your next creative work. Also, not only do I want you to take advantage of them in the moment, but do something to remember them so you can harness that magic once they’re gone. Make note of them in a journal, take pictures, whatever you need to do to be able to pull them back into your memory at the snap of a finger. This is where life really opens itself up to show you the good that’s possible.

3. Prioritize, prioritize, prioritize

   What’s most important to you right now? Put it on the calendar first. Then, in the other time blocks, schedule other things. For example, if spending time with loved ones is a priority, schedule all of your holiday events first (dinners, drives around the neighborhood to look at Christmas lights, ugly sweater parties, you name it). Then, with the time you have remaining, schedule your second most important thing. If that’s rest, schedule an hour or two or even a full day, or more if you’re able. If that’s working on your business, set aside time to get your key needle-movers accomplished. Finally, fill in the empty time blocks with everything else.

4. Ask for help

   Yes, you’re allowed, you don’t have to do everything by yourself. Have a ton of orders that need to be fulfilled, ask your mom or hire a baby-sitter to watch your kids for an hour or two while you get them done. Have an entire holiday dinner party to plan and prepare for? Ask a friend or partner to share the load with you, enlist the kids to make decorations or give them a room to clean. As women, we take on a lot of obligations and feel bad to ask for help because we think it will make us seem weak. I’ll tell you right now… you know what men are good at? Delegation. Then, at the end of the day, they say, “look what I made happen!” You can do this too, friend! Hire a cleaning crew to clean your house for the holidays, hire an assistant to help you with small admin tasks in your business, have door dash deliver your groceries, schedule a pickup with your shipping carrier instead of dropping your orders off, hire a caterer… save yourself the mental capacity it takes to do some of these things so you free your mind up to do more of what you want and more of what brings you joy.

5. Use every-day holiday moments as content

   Making cookies with your sister? Get a video. Decorating your home? Get a video. Playing outside with your kids? Get a video. Sitting by the fire? Get a video. Social media content does not need to be perfectly recorded content with special lights, cameras, and action, it can be simple moments with powerful words of inspiration as well.

6. Slow your response time

   I know it might feel like it but you do NOT have to respond to people right away. In fact, for some, you specifically shouldn’t. When you respond to people right away, you set the expectation that it will happen every time they reach out to you. Do you just happen to be awake at 2am when a customer comments on your Instagram post with a question? Great… answer it later in the morning. Do you happen to see the email come in from your kid’s school at 2 pm in the afternoon asking you to volunteer for the holiday party? Great… answer later that night or even the next day (if at all, depending on if you’re the volunteering type or not). If you answer right away, it can also tell people that you have nothing else going on, it can tell people that you’re available all the time, and, at some point, they will take advantage of that, even if your to do list is a mile long. Protect your peace and set appropriate expectations.

7. Automations

   Last, but definitely not least because it’s actually my favorite… set up automations. From woman to woman, artist to artist, business owner to business owner, you should not have to do every single little thing manually. If you really want your art business to grow, it’s actually impossible. Just think, you could wake up, not check your social media, not check your email, but simply let the day unfold, all while knowing that your audience and customers are 100% taken care of. How would that feel? Pretty awesome, right? Read more about this in 8 Things Artist Should Have On Autopilot so you can have this all set up by the next holiday season and so you can truly enjoy the holidays without worrying about letting anyone down.

Want more tips and tricks to grow your artisan business online while you handle life as the boss woman you are? Join my Artisan Coaching Studio! I teach women artists how to sell their artisan-quality work online so they can make sales while they sleep or make pancakes with their kiddos on Sunday morning.