SmallBizResource Blog -- Productivity

Survival Tips For The Holiday Season

Posted by Judy Mottl Friday, Dec 7, 2007, 07:05 AM ET

It’s busy to say the least. Demands at work clash with demands at home (you can only put off hanging holiday decorations for so long without looking foolish in the neighborhood). But it’s no time to slouch off your business tasks.

“Small business owners and their employees need to be accessible even during the season when everyone is focused on their own celebrations with family and friends,” explains Tom Shaughnessy, director of business marketing for Sprint.

Here are Shaughnessy’s tips for maximizing productivity and staying connected with just that handy dandy cell phone:

Friends, colleagues and family may be celebrating, but business continues to move forward whether you are in or out of the office; it’s essential to keep up with the latest news and trends in your industry. Many new smart phones offer on-demand Web content access with a push of a button allowing you to retrieve customized, up-to-date information such as business news, stock quotes and other headlines to keep you informed even when out of the office.

Don’t wait until January 2nd to track company expenses during a hectic end-of-the-year spending period. Need to know if you have enough cash to cover an office tree with all the trimmings or if a client’s payment has cleared? Consider paying bills and monitoring account balances on-the-go via your mobile phone.

If you need to reach a colleague while watching The Nutcracker, many smart phones allow you to access Microsoft Outlook or other email programs, which store all of your contacts. Whether you want to send a quick ‘thank you’ email for a gift from a vendor or colleague to show your immediate gratitude, or follow up on new business leads after a holiday networking event, it’s important to have your contacts at your fingertips.

Whether you prefer the mountains or the beach for a holiday escape, it can be time-consuming to track down a WiFi hot spot. Stay connected using a mobile broadband card, which allows for Internet access anywhere your wireless carrier has mobile broadband service. Utilizing a mobile broadband network makes it easy to transfer files, access email or stay in touch while on vacation, so you can concentrate on relaxing by the fire or the ocean.

They’ve made their lists and you’ve checked them twice, but have you made sure you’re getting the best price? Smart phones and numerous wireless devices offer email for sales alerts, access to the Internet to view product pricing information and store hours, and To-Do list software to keep track of gifts and shopping deals all on one convenient device.

Business activity never ceases, even during the holidays. If you need to be out of the office for an extended period of time make sure your clients and colleagues can reach you on the go with call forwarding. When you forward office calls and voicemails to your mobile phone, it cuts out the added step of constantly calling in to check messages – saving you time.

Productivity