Are you going to keep saying ‘yes’ and cramming in more and more work, for not enough money and then not have enough time to deliver - only to then have a couple of weeks off and fall into your bed from sheer exhaustion?
Or - are you going to TAKE BACK control of your business and your world this year? Maybe it’s time to do things differently!
There is no doubt that the lead up to Christmas presents loads of opportunity for you and your business. Customers want everything done ‘before Santa comes’ and of course they do - because they just want everything to be lovely. And yes, that means ‘work’ and income for you.
BUT - is it really all worth it?
You risk so much working like this - time with your loved ones, not getting the presents you would have wanted to because you ‘rushed last minute’, letting down customers, injury & fatigue - or a broken body, the list goes on.
So, let’s not do it this year hey fellas?
You can mitigate a ‘mental as anything’ rush by following these tips:
1. Say ‘no’!
‘No’ is a FULL SENTENCE and needs to be used more liberally within the trades industry. If you want to breeze through the next few months - YOU CAN - you just have to say ‘no, I can’t do it before Christmas, but what I can do is get to you early into the New Year!’
When a Tradie actually harnesses ‘no’, it is so, so incredible how peaceful things can be. Maybe set yourself a goal - ‘I will not work any Sundays in the lead up to Christmas’ or ‘Only one day of the week will be overtime hours for my staff and me’. These declarations to yourself will certainly help you NOT to overbook your calendar - and are GREAT goals to share with your family who will hold you accountable.
2. Don’t close the business up totally
Huh? But the Trades industry stops over summer! Ok, maybe that is true, but does YOUR business have to follow suit? What if your staff want to take holidays at OTHER times of year - when it is cheaper? Why don’t YOU take holidays at other times of the year that are cheaper and in a different season?
Keep on skeleton staff, this will keep cashflow moving, and also, many customers will be happy to have their work done because they can BE THERE to make sure you are not stealing their shit or whatever crazy customers think.
Just because the rest of the industry does it - does not mean you have to. It also means that you won’t have cashflow distress because you are paying everyone annual leave AND trying to provide a fun holiday for your family.
Rip the little kids out of school for two weeks during the school term - what damage can it do really?? And imagine the beach, the caravan parks, the flights and how calm they will be out of the peak season for Australian holidays??? BLISS!
3. Utilise a casual workforce
Many subbies are looking to smash out extra hours in the lead up to Christmas because they too want to have a fantastic break - and they don’t get paid during this time because they work for themselves! Offer them weekends or extra hours to help them achieve this. Make sure that you are adhering to the award and any contracting agreements to do this, but basically - they need it - so why not use them!?
4. Plan & Schedule
Too many businesses guess their way through timelines. They say things like ‘awwww I reckon I’ve got about 4 weeks booked’ only to then actually put it on paper and see they have 6 weeks work booked in to be delivered in 4 weeks. FFS guys - WTF are you doing to yourselves!?
Write shit down. Get it out of your head. When you quote, and the job is accepted - put it into the calendar how long it will take and block that time out, not to be overlapped. It will be incredible how CLEAR your head will become - because you are not milling it all around.
SO - Please don’t kill yourselves, ladies and gents. Your families will be tired too, and tired families = unhappy homes - so don’t all of you end up this way - what a shit way to spend the festive season.Also - whilst Chrissie parties are always in full swing during this time - take it easy on the booze - it will only make you an anxious mess, worse than you are already possibly going to be cos you overbooked yourself. That isn’t a good feeling at all.
Enjoy legends - and, please, let us know what you took out of this.
If you need help to plan out how to be as SUCCESSFUL as possible over the next 3 months and into 2021, we need to talk.
Book here to find out how coaching can assist you to have a ‘cool summer’.
Cheers
Ladies with Tradies
