A small business owner’s guide to switching off over Christmas

We get it. The idea of switching off at Christmas (or any other time of year for that matter) is a pipe dream for small business owners. 

From crafting bespoke items and packing orders, to ramping up marketing efforts, managing seasonal cash flow and taking on extra temp staff – there’s barely the time to stop for a mince pie. 

We know all too well the late nights and seven-day weeks small business owners put in to maximise this peak festive period. For many, the success of December is pivotal for the rest of the year. 

So, if taking time off feels unrealistic, here are our tips for at least slowing down – just for a bit before the new year hits. 

Why switching off matters for small business owners

Taking a step back from your business is not just good for your wellbeing and mental health, it’s also good for business.

Time off from the day-to-day tasks gives you an opportunity to see the bigger picture, the space to recharge and the clarity to see what needs to be done next. Your business will thank you for it.

8 tips for switching off this Christmas

 1. Be realistic – and don’t feel guilty about it

As lovely as it would be to spend two weeks sitting by the fire, eating Quality Streets and watching Christmas movies, it’s not the reality for most small business owners.

Instead, be realistic.There will be emails to answer and work to be done, so it’s all about setting boundaries and planning ahead.

Think about your minimum viable operation – what business tasks are essential during this period, and what can wait? Scale back all non-essential work and ensure all employees know what’s expected. 

It might not get you a full fortnight off, but knowing the essentials are covered and having a clear plan about how the business will operate should help you achieve some kind of work-life balance during this period. 

2.  Make a plan – and stick to it 

Decide early on what time (even if it’s just a few hours here and there) you can realistically take off over the next few weeks. Block them out in both the business calendar and your personal diary. That way everyone knows your last available day, and no one is able to sneak in a last-minute meeting. You’ll also be accountable to your family if they see you sneaking off to check emails.

Ensure employees, customers, suppliers and anyone else knows when you’ll be available again. Set up an out-of-office with details of when you’ll be back and what to do if the enquiry is urgent.

The advantage of an automated out-of-office message is that it’ll be sent before you’re even tempted to reply, should you think twice about doing so. After all, if you ignore your own out of office and reply, the sender will expect you to be available for conversation      

3. Don’t forget your staff 

Lead by example and encourage your employees to take time off to spend with friends and family. 

Find out everyone’s unique circumstances and non-negotiable days early on. For parents, it may be that Christmas Eve to Boxing Day is an absolute must for holiday, but they may not mind helping out over New Year. While younger people may be looking forward to a New Year’s party, but don’t mind working on Christmas Eve.

4. Plan to do something you love

Whether it’s seeing family, catching up with old friends, volunteering for a cause that matters to you or simply walking the dog, make plans that you can’t cancel.

As well as socialising, make sure you also book something that’s just for you. Remember, this is about switching off and recharging so don’t give all of your time to others, save a little bit for yourself. 

5. Schedule social media… 

…Or better still, save yourself a job and just write one post to say that you’re taking some time off.

Explain when you’ll be back and what to do if the enquiry is urgent, as well as what they can do in the meantime to stay engaged (e.g. Head to our website to: See what we’re up to / Find that perfect gift / Take advantage of our New Year sale).

6. Wrap up your year-end finances

Before you leave the office, schedule in some time to finalise your year-end finances. Log any expenses and send any outstanding invoices so you can start the New Year fresh and with some cash in the bank. 

If you haven’t done so already, connect your business accounts with your accounting software to seamlessly keep track of your finances. No more looking for lost receipts or trying to remember what an unrecognised expense was for. Find out more here.

7. Turn off notifications

A simple one, but one that’s often forgotten. As a business owner the need to be constantly available is real, but it can be exhausting. If you’ve put plans in place, then switching off notifications can help you stay focused on your downtime without being constantly distracted. 

If this is impossible for you, set a time every day for checking in. This way the work-related tasks are limited to a specific time.

8. And if you just can’t switch off? 

If there is simply too much to do, block out a day to tick off all those little jobs that have been hanging over you all year. That way you can start 2026 fresh and ready to do it all over again. 

Switching off over Christmas (even just for a little bit) gives you a much-needed chance to rest, recharge and reflect. It will give you the energy you need to tackle any business challenges next year, and the creative spark to keep things moving forward.  

While we can't help lessen your workload this Christmas, we can help with a gift. We’ve partnered with Thrive Mental Wellbeing, an intuitive mental health app trusted by the NHS, to support UK businesses.

Thrive's app delivers digital therapy and mental health support at the touch of a button to help you and your team manage their mental health during this busy festive period, and beyond.

If you're an existing Funding Circle customer, you can get 12 months of Thrive access for you and your team – for free.

For all other UK small businesses (you don't need to be a Funding Circle customer), we're giving you an exclusive discount on 12 months access to Thrive Mental Wellbeing.

Find out how you can access Thrive’s mental health support here.

01/12/25: While we want to help as much as we can, the information found here is provided solely for informational purposes and should not be considered financial or legal advice. To the extent permitted by law, Funding Circle does not accept any liability for any loss or damage which may arise directly or indirectly from the use of, or reliance on, the information contained here. If you have any questions, please speak to your professional adviser or seek independent legal advice.