If you’ve been following my blog for a while, you may have read about why I plan to have Christmas ‘everything’ ready by the 15th!
I love the idea of being able to chill out a bit on Christmas Eve and truly savor the magical moments in that last week before Christmas. I also love the idea of not being in stores as they get crazier and crazier both in the number of shoppers and in the shoppers’ attitudes!
You need a thorough list!
The best way to truly manage your time and expectations through the holiday season is to be aware of what you need to do. The best way to actually know what you need to do is to write it down! Make a very thorough list of all the things that you want to be able to do. Note how I said “that you WANT to do?”
It’s basically a brain dump of all of the things! The things you need to do, want to do, hope to do, and any expectations you have on yourself! Add anything and everything from what treats to bake, what gifts you have or need to buy, what decorations you want to set up, and even what kind of pampering you plan to do for yourself.
Each day, highlight the tasks you know you can do that day. Cross each task off as you go through the day. If you need to, you can even add time estimates of how long each task should take so that you don’t spend too much of your valuable time stuck on one task. If you know you have a small window of time, check through your list and look for something that will only take a couple of minutes! If you have tasks that require internet hunting (like recipes, for example), use your time while you’re waiting at kids’ activities to browse Pinterest or search the internet for things that look good. If you’re wondering what gifts to buy for people, use time waiting in line somewhere or your coffee break at work to do a quick search for gift ideas!
A great list is always updated!
Add to your list any time you think of something else! Whether it’s updated because you finished something and crossed it off, or it’s updated because you thought of more to add. Don’t get overwhelmed by how long the list is. It will be long! Decide if there is anything that you can delay until after the 15th. Maybe a hair appt can wait until you are more relaxed and have everything else done already, and that way, it doesn’t take away from your precious productive time!
Check it twice!
Don’t just write out your list, then forget about it! Review your list as often as you can through the day – ok, maybe not to the point where you are looking at your list instead of actually working on the things on your list!! But double check or triple check your list throughout the day. Sometimes, I need little reminders of what I could do when. Keeping a close eye on your list means that some of the little tasks that are super easy to complete and check off don’t get forgotten. Looking at your list at least a couple of times each day keeps the items fresh in your mind.
Write your list on paper!
Not sure if you picked up on the subtlety above, but when you are managing a lot of things for a short period of time it can be really great to have a list on paper, in front of your face! A list on a phone, in this case, is easy to ignore. To really get the most out of your list, it’s best to have it on paper AND to keep it somewhere where you can actually check it frequently throughout the day. You can use a combo of the paper list and your phone by adding to your paper list something like, ‘purchase all the gifts!’ Then, you might have a detailed list of the gifts you are hunting for on your phone so that you have access to that list while you’re out.
Be kind to yourself!
No matter what, life still happens! You can’t control everything! As you go through checking off the things on your list, remember that it’s also ok if things don’t get done. Remember that this list is of everything you WANT to do for Christmas or over the holidays. It doesn’t mean you HAVE to. Also! Even if there are things that you think you HAVE to do, think about it and really ask yourself if it’s a true need to! The goal of getting things done by the 15th has given me the freedom to prioritize my time as I want it after the 15th, but if I still haven’t checked everything off the list, that’s ok! I am 100% sure that I got more done because I had the 15th in mind than if I was trying to get it done by the 25th! No matter what, those 10 days between the two are easier to handle even if only half my list gets done! Life is full of pressure and expectations, but you can change the expectations you have for your own self!
Try your best to get things done by the 15th. Run around like a crazy person up until that day, then decide if the things that are left on the list are still a priority. Maybe they can be left out this year all together so that you can enjoy some down time!
Use your list to keep you productive so that you can create some magical memories this holiday season.
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