Balancing Your Personal and Professional Life Over the Holidays

Lance Postma, owner of Top of Utah Archery in Logan, Utah

Postma said he usually has two or three employees to help him juggle his time between work and family, but this year he’s on his own. At the end of the year, one of his employees left for college, and the other went on a service mission. After the coronavirus hit, he never rehired. He closes the shop for all major holidays, including Christmas and New Year’s, but he’s undecided whether he’ll take more time off this year. However, Postma offered this advice to others:

“You have to decide if you want to make the business your life or if you want your life to be about people,” he said. “Customers should understand if you make your life about people, because you’ll be there for them. But they must realize your people and family matter, too. If you’re all about business and the sale, you’re probably not putting enough time into your people or customers. You’ll lose sight of what matters, and it’ll cost you your family and eventually your customers.”

Postma values family time and said taking off on Christmas and New Year’s is essential. He said he sacrificed a lot of his children’s younger years working late. He also said closing on a holiday is a good way to recharge because work is busy and stressful. He communicates these closures with the community to help customers prepare.

“I try to help people plan ahead,” he said. “I let them know the days we’re closed by word of mouth, social media marketing and signs on my store. We’re the busiest two weeks before Christmas and the week between Christmas and New Year’s when people bring their equipment in to get it set up. I’ll work all those hours myself, which will be a trick and a challenge, but it will make family time that much more enjoyable and rewarding.”

Strike the Right Balance

All three retailers take Christmas and New Year’s Day off. But they try to work their regular hours the rest of the time to be available for last-minute shoppers. They encourage shop owners to be present in the moment at all times. In other words, if you’re at work, be at work, and when you’re at home, be at home. Running a successful business is about balance, including time at – and away from – your shop. Determine what’s feasible for you. Your business and family both matter, so be honest and communicate expectations to both parties. If you must be at work now, remember to be with your family later – and, of course, enjoy the holiday season.