6 ways to keep the holidays running smoothly

Have you finished your Christmas shopping? While most of our planning focuses on what gifts to buy here are some practical ways to get the most from this year’s holiday season.

1- Watch your calendar. With Christmas and New Years Day falling on Tuesday this year, you will need to move your most important actions and appointments on your calendar. Reschedule as needed before you leave the office today.

2- Set your email auto-responder. Create a short vacation reply for your holiday absences. It should include when you will be out of the office, who to contact in case of an emergency, and when those sending you a message can expect a reply.

3- Change your voicemail message. Just like your email set the expectation with those who may call your office during your holiday absence. Set a reminder on your calendar to revert back to your standard message when you return to the office.

4- Leave your work email alone. That’s right- don’t keep checking it repeatedly during your time with family and friends. Chances are most of your customers are taking time off from business matters as well. Any problems that may arise cannot be dealt with until your bank or lender opens anyway.

5- Remove the temptation. If you find yourself with an abundance of baked goods and holiday treats that you don’t want to tempt you- bring them to the office! They have a strange way of disappearing quickly in the break room. Problem solved!

6-Prepare your new year’s promotions. Each new year most find a sudden, albeit often temporary, sense of motivation to improve their lives. Seize upon this mindset to reach out to your potential borrowers on the opportunity to begin the new year with no monthly mortgage payments or increased monthly cash flow.