They're baaaack! The holidays. It feels like this season snuck up on me this year. Even our kids have been saying they cannot believe it's that time of year again. I love the holidays, but the season does come with some stress with all of the "to dos" that we need to accomplish. It really is important, at least for me, to take it one day at a time, both with work and holiday prep.
As far as work goes, this time of year can definitely make us feel side-tracked. One thing that helps me to stay on track is to keep a list next to me at work. If something pops into my mind that I need to do (pick up a gift for Mom, get a host gift for a party, or pick up wrapping paper, etc.) I just simply write it down or sometimes text it to myself. Then, later in the day, I decide what I am going to get done that evening. I may just do one of the "to dos." I feel like this keeps me on track at work and at home.
If you are hosting for the holidays, that can be a stress point all on its own. Even if you don't have very many gifts to buy this year, hosting a meal can be overwhelming when you are working full time, running a business, or managing an organization. One thing I have done most years is set aside a day or two to work on the hosting tasks. If you really cannot spare any PTO, then dedicate a weekend and try not to schedule anything else during that time. I spend a day deep cleaning the house and preparing for guests, and then take a day to do the shopping. One tip: shopping for groceries is actually quite relaxing early in a weekday morning (sometimes even on a weekend--earlier the better). The store is mostly empty and quiet, so you aren't battling for space in an aisle or standing in the check out line for a long time. Also, you get a much better parking spot, so loading up is far easier. Taking these days to get things done in a quiet way relieves my mind of clutter, and it makes me far more efficient and effective at work.
Finally, make time for self care. When you are running around doing all things holiday for everyone else, you forget that you need rest and time to enjoy the season. One way to do this is to do one thing for yourself every day. Maybe that's simply taking a walk or sitting quietly by yourself and just taking a breath for 5-10 minutes.
The holiday season will be over before we know it, and then we may feel relieved, sad, let down, or hopefully really happy how it all went this year. I am usually a bit sad it's over, but I try to remember that I feel that way because we all had fun and made new memories. And, we get to start a fresh, new year with all sorts of new opportunities before us. So, cheers to everyone! Here's to the holidays!
Susan O'Brien, Owner of imPRess