As much as I love Christmas, I won’t lie that I also find it one of the most stressful and busiest times of the year.
I always find it to be super busy work wise, and then there’s the added pressure of Christmas shopping, and there are always more social activities around the festive period; parties, drinks, and much more. It can definitely seem like you’re constantly running around like a headless chicken which can lead to making you feel overwhelmed and totally sucking the fun out of Christmas.
Over the past couple of years, I feel like I’ve definitely done too much in the lead up to Christmas, and last year over Christmas I ended up being ill due to running round too much, so this year I’ve decided to try to be more organised in an attempt to stop that from happening again!
I know it’s not just me who finds Christmas time really busy, so today I thought I’d share with you some of my tips to keeping organised and staying calm this festive period. None of it is rocket science but it has been helping so thought I’d sit down and share this with you- I hope it helps!
- Be Organised
So I know this is a bit of a duh moment, and well maybe being organised should have come before the second week of December butttt it’s never too late- I promise! I tend to try to do everything as early as I can, whether that’s work, so not leaving things till last-minute, trying to keep on top of things like present buying (though I’ve not been the best at this yet) has been helping. I’ve been doing stuff like taking photos for my blog in batch, and spending an afternoon to sit and write posts, which has helped with feeling like I’m on top of my work.
2. Lists!
Ah my favourite thing – lists. I always find that lists make everything better, I make a to do list each night for the next day which keeps me on track with my jobs for the next day, otherwise I forget what I’m doing. I make lists of presents to buy people and cross them off when they’re bought. I make lists of what I’m working on, when it needs to be in by and what I need to do.
I always find that when I’m feeling overwhelmed I’ll write a list and I’ll feel so much better, it’s almost like writing it all down makes it seem not as much, I think it’s quite easy to wind yourself up in your head and make yourself seem like you have a million things to do, so when you write it down, you’re like ‘okay I can do this.’
Trying to make my desk area a bit more festive!
Prints are from The House Outfit (use CORRIE15 for 15% off wall art!)
3. Time Batching
I’m trying to be more organised with my time, so I’ve been batching my time ( I have no idea if this is the right word but it sounds like it!) So for example, I’ll sit on a Monday and do emails in the morning and write posts in the afternoon. Tuesday will be photo taking day, Wednesday will be editing and caption day, etc… you get my drift… I feel like this is a good way to get a lot of work done. You can also do this with present buying (say to yourself you have one hour to spend online getting gifts) or 30 mins to do the housework for the guests coming at the weekend. I’m going to keep working on this as I do feel like it helps with efficiently getting stuff done!
4. Don’t Compare
Don’t compare yourself to others. It may seem like everyone else is finished with their shopping, or have perfect Christmassy lives but I promise you they are probably feeling just as stressed and flustered as you are! Comparing yourself can make you feel rubbish which then affects your productivity, so keep in your own lane and focus on just you.
5. Don’t Overload Yourself
It’s very easy to be a bit of a yes person during Christmas time; saying yes to extra work, saying yes to lots of events, and before you know it, you’re feeling totally overwhelmed. It’s okay to say no to things. You don’t have to go out if you don’t want to, and you don’t have to accept every invitation or work deadline that comes your way. Don’t over load yourself.
6. Delegate Tasks
It’s very easy to take everything on yourself, but sometimes we need to realise we do need help. Whether it’s asking for help with work, or the Christmas shopping, just ask. I’m sure whoever you ask won’t mind, and you don’t have to do everything on your own.
7. Remember Not Everything Has To Be Perfect
So here I need to take my own advice, because I am a huge perfectionist, and at Christmas I can find myself trying to make everything perfect. My blog, my work, the house, Christmas Day, etc… but things don’t have to be perfect. If you don’t get all the presents don’t stress, remember what Christmas is all about, family and friends. Let work know if you’re finding things a bit too much and ask for an extra deadline, etc… Remember no one and no one’s Christmas is perfect, no matter what Instagram may lead you to believe!
8. Take Time For You
Make sure you rest, take nights off and don’t feel like you always have to be working/doing stuff this December. Take an evening to watch cheesy Netflix Christmas films, or whatever you do to relax. Don’t feel guilty for taking time off!
So there are a few of my top tips for keeping on top of everything this festive period and not getting too stressed out. I hope that you have a good December and don’t find it too stressful. It’s very easy to get overwhelmed, but remember to chill and give yourself a break.
Okay I’m going to go now, let me know your top tips for keeping calm at Christmas as I’d love to know!
