How to prepare for the annual disruption in productivity and mitigate “festive fallout”

It never ceases to amaze me how fast life gets at this time of year. Suddenly, and without warning, I’m buried under a tsunami of work deadlines and I have as much hope of making them as I do of actually getting all the wrapping and decorating and cooking and shopping done. The crazy Christmas dance. I love it – wouldn’t trade any of it actually – but there’s no denying that my juggling act requires precision this time of year.

And because I’m a bit of a perfectionist, just surviving never feels good enough for me. I want to enjoy it, savor every second of it because, in a world where COVID has too often come between me and my family, I’m not willing to settle for less. Not this Christmas or any Christmas ever again.

If you’re of the same mindset, it’s well past time to shift from survival mode and into full on let’s do this – and fun while we’re doing it – mode.

7 stealable Christmas survival strategies

My holiday survival planning begins long before the holidays. Like choosing to eat healthier or exercise more, it’s a series of lifestyle choices that I work hard at throughout the whole year. Feel free to steal my ideas and have yourself a less stressful, more joyful holiday season this year.

1. Schedule religiously. Making time for everything begins with actually making time. In my world, every little task that needs doing gets slotted into my calendar, whether it’s making a doctor’s appointment, carving out time to edit a blog post or scheduling a mid-day walk to give my brain time to breathe. My digital calendar keeps me in check with regular alerts and reminders, signaling when it’s time to shift gears to another task. And I organize those tasks, knowing what times of the day are better for different tasks. For example, mornings are for detail-oriented, highly-focused tasks while the afternoons tend to be for more creative work. Meetings can happen at any time of the day – but they never happen without an agenda and a goal.

2. Set digital boundaries. How many times a day do you check email? Social media? The problem with digital is that’s there’s no natural stop when we’re scrolling endlessly down a newsfeed. A newspaper has a finite amount of content, same with a radio broadcast. When you’re done reading – or listening to the show – there’s a decision to make. Find something else to read or move onto another activity – it’s a natural stop for our brains. A digital feed will keep going as long as you keep scrolling. Set boundaries for how long you’ll scroll – and stick to them.

3. Declare tech-free zones. Like the kitchen, for example. We’re perpetually tethered to a steady stream of information from the outside world – and that can rob us of intimate time with our friends and families, or maybe just time with ourselves. Trust me, you’ll hear your phone ring from another room if someone calls while you’re eating. That precious time at the table with your partner might be just what you need to organize the holiday menu or what you’ll buy Grandma for Christmas. Multi-tasking while enjoying a meal, brilliant.

4. Plan ahead. As the holidays approach, my work tasks stack up to insane levels and while I love the action, it can be exhausting. I can’t sidestep the busyness but I can plan ahead to mitigate some of the stress. Knowing I’m going to be busy, I work ahead during slower times, stockpiling work tasks that may not take a lot of time individually but collectively pile up. Getting the regularly occurring deliverables off my plate during slower times creates space for the disruption I know is coming as we get closer to the holidays.

5. Prioritize sleep. Getting the rest I need has always been important to me, even though my success rate varies. When stress ratches up, 4 am and I get intimately acquainted in ways I could easily live without. To combat the almost unavoidable holiday stress that threatens to rob me of a good night’s sleep, I try to go to bed and wake up at the same time every day. If I’m wakeful during the night, I only allow myself to read a book – not scroll social media. A half hour of reading usually makes me tired enough to try and sleep a little more until morning. But like I said, I’m not always successful – still working on this one.

6. Balance work with life. During the holidays, taking a whole day off is almost impossible. But taking a half day off – or even an hour – lets me get a variety of stuff done on different fronts. And that sense of accomplishment – another task off the list – reduces stress and helps me feel connected to my family instead of feeling I’m squeezing them into my day.

7. Take time to play. It might sound counterproductive to say go find time to play when you’re already crazy busy – but it works. Whether it’s taking a half hour to play Super Mario or cribbage with your partner, letting your brain play for even a short time, will refresh it in a million ways. When we’re constantly focused on getting stuff done, the brain doesn’t have time to relax, to rejuvenate itself. Just because you’re an adult doesn’t mean playtime isn’t important.
   

8. Practice acceptance. The hardest – and most important one. When everyone’s stress levels are running high, it’s easy to let little issues erupt into geysers. But if we’re doing the best we can – and assume everyone we interact with is also doing the best they can – acceptance and patience and generosity become part of our DNA. When we accept that we’re all struggling, a helping hand is easy (and feels good) to extend. There’s no room for judgement or frustration any longer, which makes for a whole lot happier you – and me.

From my family to yours, I hope you have the happiest of holidays this year and that joy and hope and love shine bright in your life. As we progress toward 2022 – and the beautiful promise a new year holds – I wish all the best for you, my friends.

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