Are you starting to feel a bit of the Holiday overwhelm? We are halfway through November and there is way more on our to do lists than there are days left until New Years 2016. I’m not trying to make it worse; I am feeling the exact same thing.
Are you hosting Thanksgiving for your entire family, buying gifts, doing home improvement projects to prepare for Thanksgiving, hosting Christmas parties, preparing Christmas cards, writing your annual family newsletter, planning to attend other parties, decorating for Thanksgiving, then for Christmas? Are you doing all that on top of running an Etsy shop or other business, blogging, working full time, raising a family, etc? Me, too!
{As I draft this post, my husband is driving us to Clarksville to buy tile for our entryway, I am a glutton for punishment}
So how do we go from overwhelmed to joyful. The Holidays are suppossed to be holly & jolly, right? Honestly, this is something I have struggled with over the last few years. I’m determined to make this year’s Holiday season different, better, more joyful.
Sharing my plan with you will hopefully inspire you to make some of the same changes. I’d love for you to share your new ideas on getting rid of the Holiday overwhelm and to share what has worked for you. Here is my plan for this season:
1. Visions of Sugarplums?
What’s the makes for a perfect Holiday season? What’s your vision for this time of year? Is it giving back? Spending time with close family members, extended family or both? Is it giving your spouse the perfect gift? Whatever your vision is write it down.
For me I want to spend quality time with my immediate and extended family and friends. My way to do that is to host Thanksgiving, have a Christmas Open house and we might host Christmas for our family this year, too. One of my personal goals for this year has been to be sure to let my friends and family know how much they mean to me.
2. Make a List & Check It Twice
Make a master list of everything that needs to be done or should be done before December 31st. Cross off anything that doesn’t line up with the reason for the season. So deep cleaning the guest room is a must, but reorganizing the closet in the guest room can wait until January.
3. Okay, So Check It Thrice
Next get brutal and cut the list to what is absolutely essential. I’m not crossing off anything at this point, just highlighting what really must be done. I’ll do all the must do items and do the nice to do items if time and energy allow. Later when deadlines start getting close start slashing the fluff and do tip number four.
4. Enlist Some Elves
Ask for help. Look over what is still on the to do list and decide what to delegate. There are some things I just really love to do. I know it’s a sickness, but wrapping gifts is one of those things. Wrapping what I hope are the perfect gifts for the people I love I imagine their joy when they tear off the pretty paper. As much as I love it, I may have to ask for some help this year. One year my mom was able to spend the day before Thanksgiving helping me polish silver and prepare to host our big family event. Now that’s something to be thankful for!
5. Not a Creature Was Stirring
This last tip doesn’t have anything to do with the to do list. It is guaranteed to decrease frustration and increase joy. Get the right amount of sleep. Seriously, we cannot prevent the overwhelm if we our minds and bodies don’t get a chance to rest.
So that’s my action plan to prevent and overcome any Holiday Overwhelm that might try to steal my joy. (This is really very much how I plan any project, goals and daily task lists.) There are a few other Holiday specific tips in my October and November Hints, Tips & Hacks monthly newsletters. If you want an update on how my plan is working, be sure to sign up for my monthly Hints, Tips & Hacks newsletter before December 13th.
What’s your action plan? Are you going to try this one? What has helped you prevent the overwhelm that can accompany the Holiday season? I’d love to learn your secrets. Share them all in the comments.
I hope your Holiday season is exceedingly joyFUL!
Blessings,
Lauree
…keep dancing the dream
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