We are finally down to the wire — only FIVE DAYS until Christmas Day! This is the time when all of those organization skills that we learned throughout the year come in handy. For all those people out there who are trying to balance work, holiday shopping, guests, party planning and winter concerts, I applaud you!
The week before Christmas is extremely hectic for me. My mind is so overwhelmed with all the things that I need to complete before Christmas that sometimes I have trouble sleeping at night. When I get to this point, I know I have to take a step back, slow down, and re-organize my plan. The first thing I ask myself is, “What are the three most important things I have to get done today?” These three things become my priority for the day. If I accomplish them in a reasonable time, I can move on to other things that I put aside.
Because I have an extremely “full plate” this year, I really have to work harder at balancing out my life so that I am able to fit everything in. I also have to remember to do something for myself every single day. Since I have learned how important “me time” is, especially during stressful times like the holidays, I really need to make an extra effort in this area. I would love to de-stress by exercising everyday but these days I am lucky if I get five minutes to myself. Fitting some “me time” in my busy schedule just might have to be one of my New Year’s Resolutions for 2014!
As far as decorating goes, I am way behind this year. My tree has been up since Thanksgiving Day and I am still not done decorating it! In the past, this would really stress me out, but because it has not been one of my priorities yet, I have no choice but to leave it to the side until I have more time.
Finishing my Christmas shopping is a definite priority. In a perfect world, I would accomplish this in one day, but the reality is that I can’t. This year I set aside three days to shop on the internet. During the next three days, I shopped in the stores for whatever I couldn’t find on the internet. This system has worked out beautifully. It even allowed me time to use coupons and take advantage of free shipping and other sales. Shopping online saved me much needed time and gas money!
This year I am having a Christmas Eve party in my home. I am also having guests stay with me for a week. In order to pull this off, I made two lists: one for cleaning and one for buying. The cleaning list is broken down into days and rooms. This way, cleaning a little bit everyday will not overwhelm me and my home will be sparkling clean before my guests arrive. For a list like this of your own, check out my 20-day cleaning plan. My other list consists of all the things I need to buy for the party. I usually tackle this list in a few hours, but preparing the food is another story!
Keeping a balance and staying organized this holiday season can really make the difference between enjoying your holidays or running yourself ragged. The key is good planning. Remember to take time for YOU. You worked hard all year, and you deserve to enjoy yourself, too!
Happy holidays!
—Marie
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