It’s the holiday season, and for thousands of us that also means travel. Whether you are heading across the state in a car, across the country on a plane or even making a hop over the ocean to be with friends and family, chances are high you’ll be away from the office. As mobile as a lot of us work these days, being away from the office or your team can lead to stress, breakdowns in communication, missed deadlines and reduced performance.

So here are five strategies to start using now, so that your holiday travel can boost your business.

Take on goals or tasks with shorter timeframes: Parkinson’s Law suggests that work shrinks or expands based on the time allocated to it so as we head into the holiday season, assign yourself goals and tasks with short (or shorter than usual) timeframes. Think about valuable work you can create in a couple of days versus setting yourself up for a project that’s due the first week of January. Then, think about setting good, manageable goals with a shorter timeframes to be complete before the Christmas holiday and let Parkinson’s Law help you crush it.

Set a mental task for your time on the road: Thinking of launching a new product, new business or just mentally stuck on something? If so, commit to using some of your mental cycles while traveling to mull it over. I’ve often found when I break the daily routine of when, where and how I work I can develop some breakthrough thoughts.

Give yourself time to decompress: Sure, as entrepreneurs our work can easily feel like it is 24/7/365, but remember – this is one of the reasons you chose to be an entrepreneur. You control your time, including the absolutely necessity of time off. So take advantage of the fact that your investors, customers, strategic partners and just about everyone will be taking a few days off. Do the same – take a few days off. Rest. Relax. Sleep in a bit more. Eat a bit more. Watch movies.  Most of all spend valuable time with friends and family. This – as much as anything – will recharge your batteries. Actually the idea for one of our biggest success stories (a company we built and then exited at a big multiple) came to me during a relaxing holiday ski trip with friends.

Say thank you: Even if you remain largely offline and disconnected, take a few minutes each day to shoot a note to the people in your business and life who matter to you. You can do this wherever you are this holiday – just make sure you make time for it. Tell customers you care, tell employees you are THANKFUL for them and their energy and time; tell your mentors and advisors how much you appreciate their contributions. A short, thoughtful note from the heart is a great way to communicate during the holidays. For a free download on communication, click here.

Do the little things well: Things will be shutting down for many people, so the workload should drop off for most Americans during the holidays. Use time each day to just make sure you stay on top of the little things. Make sure you are checking for urgent messages or even opportunities on social media. Check your voicemail. Even when you are slowing things down you can be better than 95% of the population by just doing the little things to keep your finger on the pulse. While others are napping off the turkey and Pinot Noir, you may just find an opportunity others miss.

Have an awesome holiday season. You deserve it. And if you need some inspiration or support as you mull over some fresh ideas, be sure to visit our platform for more goodies. 

If you want help taking full advantage of every opportunity, we are here…