Can you believe Thanksgiving is less than a week away? We all love the holidays, but they certainly don’t make themselves. Making the holidays memorable for your family takes a lot of work, and with that work comes a hefty amount of stress. The Glass Hammer.com posted a great entry with advice on how to have a relatively "frazzle-free" November and December.
1. Start Planning Your Calendar Now
True story: For a few summers in college, I worked at a large craft supply store – working the register, designing store displays, and stocking merchandise. Mid-July every year, as soon as we packed up our Independence Day craft supplies, up went the DIY Christmas ornaments and decorations.
About half of our customers complained – it’s too early! But the rest of them jumped on board. While these overzealous crafters maybe had too much time on their hands, we can learn something from them.
Start planning your calendar for the next two months now. That way, you won’t double book yourself. Or if you do, at least you won’t be caught off guard. If your December work party, your partner’s office holiday drinks, and your kid’s winter play all fall on the same evening, it’s best to know now, right?
2. But Don’t Get Too Serious
There’s a not-so-fine line between being prepared and being inflexible. Acknowledge that the unexpected WILL happen. Staying flexible will help you maintain calm – both outside work and in the office. Everyone is stressed this time of year – and that means missed deadlines and last minute rescheduling. Keeping this in mind will help avoid some headaches.