Stressed out Yet?

Make your list work for you!

I have my moments. My grandson is full of anticipation and no stress. Even with the stress I L O V E the holidays! It’s a time for smiling at others, blessing people with a universal greeting and hanging the symbols of our joy. (I really like decorating!)Your stress level is a result of the conflict between how much you expect yourself to do and what you can actually accomplish. If you find yourself swimming in a sea of expectations, it’s time to make a list. Santa always works with one, why not you?

I don’t mean just a gift giving list. Make an ANTICIPATION list. Most of the joy of the season is in the anticipation of what is coming. Kids get this. Children have eternal hope that their wishes will come true and they savor that anticipation. You can relieve some stress and recapture what the season means to you with your list.

1. List everything you think you should do and would like to do this season. Party hosting, party going, gift buying, tasks like decorating and cleaning, even everyday things – everything that you think you should do to make the holidays bright for yourself and your family as well as the daily things you can’t avoid.

2. Pull everything from the list you HAVE to do and make another list. (I have to balance my checkbook at least once this month!) Only list those things that you MUST do, and your best guess at how much time you need to accomplish it and when it has to be done.

3. Go back to your first list and pull out the things that would really give you and your family/friends JOY this season (I like to make handmade cards). List those things that you’ve always done and enjoy as well as those new things you’d like to do. Estimate a time for these activities (a couple of sessions in front of the TV – holiday movies of course – while I construct them).

4. Now, on a new page, pull those things from your HAVE list that really can’t wait or be avoided for a month and write them down. Next, add those things from your JOY list that would really make this year’s holiday season special to you -something you can anticipate. Try to make the list alternate the HAVE’s and JOY’s and balance them out.

5. Now it’s time for action. Start at the top of the list and begin making your holiday’s stress-less. You know what you have to do (go to work for 8 hours) and you know what you’d really love to do (attend the holiday light show with your children – 2 hours). Build in a little online shopping time, and combine things when you can, but DO spend your days getting those things done that you have to do and rewarding yourself with the special activities and joys of the season that mean the most to you.

Release those things that didn’t make it to your HAVE JOY list (did you catch on to the title while you were working on your lists?). They aren’t that important and not worth the stress or worrying over them. Anticipate a more peaceful and enjoyable holiday this year.

Warm wishes,

  Linda