I ran into a colleague in the elevator yesterday and asked her what she was up to for the holidays. She said she was super excited to relax with her family, but I could feel that there was something uneasy and tense in her voice, so I made a joke about how the holidays are supposed to be this relaxing, serene time of love and inner peace, but they often end up being more hectic and jam packed than your busiest work week.
I immediately saw her shoulders drop and she spilled that she was seriously dreading all of the Christmas shopping she needs to do this weekend, the obligation she feels to drink alcohol at every event to be “festive and social,” and the petty arguments she’s bound to get into with her cousin.
Most people I know fall into a hole that looks a lot like what I’ve just described, and they feel stuck and end up overeating, sleeping through it all, or getting into some serious fights with relatives.
Not sounding so serene, huh?
Let’s get real. The holidays are an incredible time, but we need to make sure we’re taking excellent care of ourselves and employing an arsenal of tactics to protect our energy and make sure we actually do get a chance to relax and reboot during this sacred time.
My family and friends often ask me how I do so much and stay sane. I juggle multiple work projects, clients, interviews, media appearances, social events, exercise, close-knit relationships, and more, but it’s rare for me to feel overwhelmed. Excited, yes. Full to the brim, definitely. I know other people that juggle as much as or more than me, so it’s very flattering to hear this from so many people. I haven’t always been this way and it’s taken a lot of experimentation and sheer willpower to get to where I am now.
So, how do you do it?
Read on for 14 tactics for incredible productivity. Yep, 14!
Now I want to hear from you. What are your favorite productivity tactics? How are you feeling this holiday season? Happy and excited? Stressed? Burdened? A little of both? Which one of these tactics will be most helpful for you? What tactics do you already use that you could share with me? I want to hear from you in the comments below.
Have a beautiful holiday!
Photo: Dominick Nero
I try to keep things simple during the holidays. I know a lot of people want everything to be perfect (and I do too to a degree) but it’s not worth the stress, lack of sleep, etc. that goes along with it. So I figure out what’s most important, focus on that, and everything else may or may not happen depending on the time. It’s really helped keep my holiday stress lower!
Totally, Ashley! That’s an awesome approach. Thank you for sharing!