With the hustle and bustle of the holiday season quickly approaching, it can be easy to fill your calendar with things that pull you in many directions. You can keep stress levels to a minimum in the coming weeks by keeping a healthy pace in your daily routine and not overextending yourself.

One way to do this is by learning to say no. As opportunities for gatherings come up realize that you can not attend them all then select just a few to add to your calendar. Another way to balance your time is by considering what you want to achieve by year end. Plan ahead of the holidays so that you are less likely to be distracted by over scheduling gatherings, shopping, and other "to-do's" that can rob you of time and productivity. Some things that will keep your business rhythmically moving forward are:

• Schedule your year-end tax review and discuss with your tax advisor moves you can make now to pay less taxes next year.
• Continue to monitor your company results. What measures are you tracking? Are you on schedule with meeting planned goals you set in sales and profits? If not, what is holding you back that you can work on before year end?
• Start forecasting and planning. Have you updated your budget for next year? What about your three to five year business plan?