Holiday MadnessBuilding a bigger and better business.

Is there any time of year more delightful than the winter holiday season? It's chock-full of fun, festivities--and distractions. For homebased business owners, the temptations are often even greater. So how can you resist the lure of making Christmas lists, shopping and decorating when you should be working?

The best strategy is a realistic one, says Denise Riches, owner of Aspen Communications, a homebased newsletter publishing and design firm in Irvine, California. First, be sure the work you're forcing yourself to do really needs to be done. "This is a stressful time of year, and increasing your stress level by setting unrealistic goals only adds to the problem," she says. "If something can wait until after the holidays, let it wait."