That Timing of the Season
By Genevieve Sovereign, Consultant, Ecologos Institute Project
How to keep your head above a snowballing holiday schedule
It’s mid-December. Panic has sunk in. If you’re a student you might still be neck-deep in exam review material, wondering fuzzily if the half bag of candy canes behind your monitor counts as both your last and next meal. If you’ve joined the rat race you probably spend the A.M. commute wondering how to cram limitless tasks into a finite number of hours, the P.M. commute wondering what errands and chores you can postpone until the weekend, and your Monday lunch break wondering how you missed the festive season’s memo about your weekend being cancelled.
The yuletide time of wonder is upon us. Rejoice! And might I suggest — that we just pause for a moment and take stock(ings). Here are some tips that little elves would like to share.
1. The earlier the better.
We all mean to get an early start on our seasonal preparations. No one likes a last-minute scramble to do anything, although sometimes it seems unavoidable. Just bear in mind that this is a time when everyone is a notorious procrastinator and has their own high-priority deliverables in both their professional and personal lives. Planning ahead and getting things out of the way early will not only help you avoid the season’s hustle and bustle, but will also reduce your impact on other people’s manic schedules. You’ll be appreciated for the care you take, by both yourself and those around you.
2. Identify your priorities.
With 1001 tasks to perform, gifts to purchase and events to attend, it sometimes seems impossible for you to fit it all in. That’s because it is. Figure out what’s most important to you - professionally and personally - and let those priorities set the stage for everything else. Making the distinction between what you have to do and what you want to do may involve some difficult choices, but it’s the only way your obligations will be met to your satisfaction in the limited amount of time you have.
3. The more the merrier.
Rather than drudging through all your seasonal chores solo, make those tasks into family or social events. Try a holiday baking party with friends; turn decorating into a family occasion; let children help with sealing and putting the stamps on greeting card envelopes. These are all great opportunities to be productive while simultaneously spending time with some of your favourite people.
4. Make a list or three.
Whatever floats your gravy boat, as long as you’ve got some sort of system cataloguing the things you’ve identified as priorities: tasks, chores, events and items inclusive. There are many freeware applications available on the web to help you with this - Remember the Milk is popular - in addition to the various trusty old Outlook, Google or Hotmail features.
5. Pencil it in.
Create a calendar-based schedule that associates each of your priorities and commitments with a completion-time estimate. How long will it take you to write your greeting cards or select a Christmas tree, for example? When are the best times for you to perform certain tasks, and can they be easily integrated with others? Schedule difficult or strenuous tasks into your high-energy times of the day, or think about breaking them into smaller sub-tasks that may be easier to manage at different times.
Make a pleasant task a reward for doing something less pleasant. Try to avoid the holiday crowds by tackling high-traffic locations during off-peak hours, like during a lunch break or before/after work. It might even be worthwhile to book a morning or afternoon off during the work week to complete the bulk of your shopping. Online shopping can also be a huge time-saver, as long as you’re certain that what you’ve ordered is really what you want and will arrive in time. If you’re short on scribbling space in your normal calendar or agenda, grab an online template from somewhere.
6. Have a game plan.
Don’t just rush out into the storm when it’s time to go shopping, keep appointments or visit relatives. Take the time to plan your route, check the weather forecast, look up road closures or traffic delays, make sure you can get what you need, and confirm business and operating hours. No one’s the jollier for you driving like a maniac through a blizzard to reach the store before it closes, only to discover they shut early or don’t carry the item you want. Call ahead for stock/inventory information and hours. If an event or task requires a lot of prep time - such as primping for the office holiday party - factor that into your schedule. Know how you’re going to get from point A to point B - and what to anticipate along the way - in order to minimise your own stress and frustration.
7. Focus.
Focus on what you’re doing, when you’re doing it. The knowledge that you’ve set aside the right amount of time for the right number of tasks and commitments should help your peace of mind. Avoid getting side-tracked or distracted and just concentrate on what you’re doing. You’ll be more productive, the task will probably feel easier, and you’ll likely finish it faster. Don’t get caught up in unimportant details though, and try not to let minor imperfections delay things. Perfectionism has a price; know how much you’re willing to pay for it.
8. You can’t spell “MERRY” without R & R.
Be sure to reserve some time to just relax and enjoy what the season has to offer. Pace yourself and enjoy the ambiance, the company of your friends and family, and maybe even check out a few of your local holiday festivities and exhibits. Try your best to keep up with your usual personal fitness activities, hobbies, volunteering and the everyday things that make you happy.
