The holidays are such a wonderful time of year. Everyone bustles around looking for the perfect gifts for their family and friends. Dinners are being discussed and planned. Everyone is talking about who they are going to visit and all of the drama that is likely to ensue. It’s truly a time of busyness when it comes to quality time with those you care about the most. The problem is that during all of the shopping, planning, and spending time with loved ones, working on voiceover projects can sometimes get pushed to the side. This can create a backlog of work smack dab in the middle of all the chaos of the holidays. The stress that comes along with that can be way too much to handle.
Before this happens this year, I would like to help you. There is still time to reduce the stress of this time of year, so you do not get behind in your voiceover work. While at the same time, be able to enjoy the holiday season with your loved ones.
Carve the Time Needed for the Voiceover Project
You need to work during the holidays. There is no way around that. You need to find time to work just like you find time for shopping. Each day put aside as many hours as you need to work on something. It can be one hour, two hours, three hours – whatever you think it takes to get some of the work you need done.
How do you determine that?
Plan What You Need to Do
As you are blocking off times to work, think about what you will get done in that time. You can set up milestones for the voiceover project you are working on, so that you can be sure to have it finished before the deadline.
Make sure this is as flexible as possible. You may not get everything you need to do in the time you have allotted yourself. It is always better to overestimate rather than underestimate. Think about this as you consider what you need to do in the time you have set aside.
Limit Distractions
When you commit to working, limit distractions as much as possible. You may need to tell out-of-town guests you will be unavailable for a specific amount of time. Arrange for them to turn to someone else such as a spouse, older child, or even a friend if they should need anything while you are working. Make it clear that you should not be interrupted unless there is an emergency. Of course, you should say this as politely as possible. For example, you may say, “I’m enjoying your company. I just have to get some work down on a voiceover project that’s due soon, so I’ll need a few hours alone for that.
Schedule Work into the New Year
If a new voiceover project comes in, do your best to schedule delivery after the New Year. This way you won’t have more on your plate to deal with during the holidays. While you cannot do this with work, you already have set a date such as the 15th to let clients know any projects ordered afterwards will not be ready until after the New Year. Next year, you can make that date earlier or later depending on how you feel with what you have to do this year.
Consider these tips as you work on a voiceover project this month. You may just find that it works well enough that you stay on top of your work AND enjoy the holidays with a lot of love and joy around you.