Joanne Dewberry

How To Balance Business with Family Time This Christmas

Christmas is another one of those times of the year where we mums in business can succumb to the overwhelm of doing everything and doing it perfectly.  Instagram has a lot to answer for, the perfect tree, perfect Christmas family and those perfectly wrapped presents.  But guys, this is not real life!

How To Balance Business with Family Time This Christmas:

Close your order book: It’s great to be busy but to the point where you are overwhelmed, stressed and distracted isn’t healthy. I realise in my line of business it can be easier to close up shop over Christmas, but equally, when I’m not working I’m not getting paid so I do try and put money aside for these 2 weeks. If you make products you really need to consider closing your book giving you enough time to make and post items. I’m closed once I’ve collected the children from school on their final day and open back up the morning I drop them off in January.
reindeer stewarts garden centre
Make Time To Socialise: Make a list of all the things you need to do achieve in order to have a stress-free Christmas. Plan a schedule to enable yourself to enjoy activities, see friends, attend school events, visit Father Christmas’ reindeer and panto! Is it even Christmas without a panto visit? In my world, the answer is no, definitely oh no it isn’t!

The Perfect Tree: For me, the perfect Christmas Tree is one that the children decorate whilst I drink gin and holla a few directions! I love a tree that looks like Christmas vomited on it!! Christmas Tree World gifted us a 6ft Ultra Devonshire Fir Pre-lit tree to make this Christmas not only special but less stressful. Let’s face it one of the worst parts of Christmas is unravelling a string of lights, trying in vain to work out which bulbs are blown! Add the never-ending pieces to attach in the right slots it takes the fun out of putting the tree up. We opted for a pre-lit tree which not only has two variations on white light or warm white (warm white is much brighter than white), a combination and fast or slow twinkling. And the best bit of all the tree comes in 3 sections, that’s right folks 3 sections! Daddy Moo had this up in record time and the girls got to go crazy decorating it.  The quality of this tree is amazing, being as David is a bit of a nemophilist or “tree geek” he gave it a thorough inspection beforehand. The realistic look is down to a mix of high-quality PE and traditional PVC tips.

Christmas Tree World
LISTS!: She’s making a list and checking it twice. One for the gifts, one for the food, one for who needs to be where and when!  Delegate tasks too! Christmas does not have to be a one-woman job. I encourage the children to help wrap family presents, write Christmas cards, David has been perfecting his modern calligraphy skills so this is his job, and Megan bakes biscuits and mince pies (mostly because I don’t like mince pies so I always forget to buy them!).

Step Away From Technology This Christmas: 

  • #ShareLessEnjoyMore Remember Christmas is for you, not the world! Enjoy spending quality time phoneless and in the moment with your family.
  • Schedule your social media. Psst, I’ve scheduled mine using pictures from last year I bet you wouldn’t even have noticed.
  • Put on an email autoresponder and ensure you’re using the 4D technique so you aren’t inclined to get lost or overwhelmed by your inbox.
  • Take time to recoup, EVERYONE takes time off for Christmas. There is literally no better time to slow down.

For the whole two weeks of Christmas 2017, Charlie was ill, not a little bit ill really ill. Meaning we didn’t really leave the house much and it was brilliant! Since then we have enjoyed more long walks in the forest followed by slow cooker hot chocolate, an abundance of Christmas movies and crafts.

slow cooker hot chocolate

This recipe is not for the faint-hearted or those on a diet but my children LOVE it! I usually pop it on before a walk so by the time we get back chilled to the bone it’s waiting ready to warm us up. Christmas film in the background is not optional.

Ingredients :

1 tub of Cocoa (175g)
4 Pints of Milk
250ml of Single Cream
A large scoop of chocolate spread.
Literally, dump the lot in the slow cooker, give it a good stir and leave on low for around 2 hours. Top with marshmallows and whipped cream if you are feeling man enough!  You can also keep it on low and top it up with milk throughout the day.  I kind of make it up as I go along.

Last, of all enjoy yourself! Merry Christmas from my family to yours!

(Sorry if the hot chocolate makes you fat!)




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3 Comments

  1. Mellissa Williams
    November 26, 2018 / 1:49 pm

    I’m a massive fan of lists, and I always check it twice 🙂 I would never be organised for Christmas otherwise.

    Reply
  2. Gingey Bites
    November 26, 2018 / 1:59 pm

    Sounds like you’ve got Christmas wrapped up (excuse the pun) and that hot choc sounds GOOOOOD!

    Reply
    • Joanne Dewberry
      Author
      November 26, 2018 / 2:03 pm

      It’s so good but literally a heart attack in a mug!

      Reply