Avoid scratching your head during the lulls

Rose-Marie Almond, Toronto, ON

Most industries have some workload fluctuation – periods where you never seem to stop, followed by scratching your head wondering what to do next. Instead of irritating your scalp, take advantage of quiet periods in order to improve your business before the busy season starts anew by doing the following:

Take time to analyze what did and didn’t work well and why. How much was in your control? From this, devise a plan of action to help you proactively deal with common problems which also allows you to react quicker to unexpected surprises.

Deal with the little things. The items that need attention but you just never found the time to actually do. It might be updating files or fixing that squeaky door hinge. It may seem insignificant, but when you’re having a bad day during the high season and that squeak feels like its piercing your brain, you’ll wish you’d done it when you had time. Keeping an ongoing list during busy periods is handy to ensure you don’t miss anything.

Relax and enjoy. Staying too tightly wound when it’s not necessary isn’t good for you or your business. Taking some time for yourself will help you get some distance and perspective and may ultimately help push your business forward.