Staying Sane Through the Holidays
Can you believe it’s December already? This tends to be a very busy time of year – with holidays, family gatherings, parties, and more as we approach the New Year. While these events are certainly meant to be joyful celebrations, sometimes we have so much to do that we never really slow down enough to enjoy the season.
So what can you do? While there are several time management methods out there, here is a really simple one that gives immediate results:
Do a Brain Dump: Get a piece of paper, and write down all of the things on your to-do list that have been swimming around in your brain, in any category. There’s something very tangible and cathartic about doing this. By putting these items in writing, your brain can relax (instead of, say, waking you up throughout the night to remind you about all of the things you need to do).
Put it on the Calendar: Once everything’s on paper, it simply needs to be scheduled. Some things might need to be broken down into smaller tasks in order to put them on the calendar. For instance, if you’re baking cookies for your child’s teacher(s), schedule both the purchasing of the ingredients and the baking of the cookies.
Set Priorities: As you schedule items, you may find that there are literally not enough days in December to get it all done in time without either cloning yourself or going without sleep. So now it’s time to set priorities. And you should come first. It’s kind of like being on an airplane, when they tell you that if the oxygen masks fall from the ceiling, to put yours on before helping anyone else with theirs. If your schedule is just too full, decide what’s really important to you. As for the rest… it’s ok to say just say no.
The best thing about this method (other than its simplicity) is that it tends to make you feel like a weight has been taken off your shoulders as soon as you start writing it all down and making it visible.
Here at Morgan Organizers, we wish you a magical and joyful holiday season. If there’s anything we can do to help you get organized, give us a call anytime: 301.787.4010