The holiday months can be a hectic time for many small business owners. With regular business activities continuing and the added demands of gift shopping, parties, and family gatherings, it’s easy to let your bookkeeping slide.

Here are some tips to help you stay on top of your bookkeeping during the holidays.

1. Set time aside around the holidays

If you have a small business that generates significant revenue during the holidays, then you should take time out to make sure your books are in order. At the very least, you should make sure that your books are up to date and that you’re comfortable with the information they contain. By making time for regular bookkeeping activities, you can avoid creating a backlog of work in January.

2. Get help

There are lots of reasons to hire a bookkeeper to help you with your holiday bookkeeping. Your bookkeeper can save you time and energy by helping you identify areas where you can maximize your business deductions. Many bookkeepers offer their services on a flexible schedule. This is great for business owners who don’t have the luxury of taking time off during the holidays.

3. Use accounting software

Good accounting software can help you keep track of all your financial information, and it can even help you save time. For example, some accounting software has capabilities to automatically categorize your expenses. That’s more time saved.

4. Be Realistic

Finally, it’s important to be realistic about what you can accomplish during the holidays. If you have a small business that generates only a small slice of revenue during the holidays, or if you find that you’re too busy during the holidays to focus on bookkeeping, then don’t beat yourself up about it. It’s OK to wait until January to catch up on your bookkeeping.