Balance Tips for the Holidays

Balance Tips for the Holiday Season
Jennifer Britton, Potentials Realized - Copyright 2006

The holidays can be a blur with shopping, parties, visits. This often makes the holiday season one of the most stressful times of year. What kind of holiday season do you want to create for yourself this year?

The following are a few tips to consider when looking at creating better balance during the holiday season.

1. Connect with the things and values that are most important for you – The holiday season will have different meaning for each one of us. Spend time connecting with your values. What is most important for you at this time of year – is it to reconnect with family and friends. Is is time to treat yourself? Is it time to reflect on the year, or celebrate your succeses. Make time to honor those things most important to you.

2. Make a List – The holidays are often crammed full of people to see, things to do, things to shop for. Make a list of everything you want to do this holiday season. Having a written plan of what you want to accomplish can make things flow more smoothly. What tasks can you combine? What can you do now? They say that 12 minutes of planning can save 120 minutes of your time. Try it out!

3. Prioritize – Based on your theme for the holidays and your list, priortize what is most important. What do you definitely need to have or do? What can you let go of? What can wait until the New Year?

4. Spend Quality Time Doing What You Are Doing – Whatever you choose to do, spend quality time. Quality is not quantity. Often we are so focused on what we have to do next, or what we have forgotten to do, we don’t fully imerse ourselves in the present. Enjoy whatever time you are creating – infuse it with quality.

5. Create space for you and your needs – How much time have you set aside for yourself and your needs during the holiday? For many, this is a quieter time at work. Are you taking advantage of the time to tackle those projects which have hung over your head which needed a quieter time? Have you built in some time to do those things you enjoy most? Have you really given yourself some “holiday” time during this holiday season?

6. Celebrate! This is often the only time of year that we can connect with certain important individuals in our lives. Celebrate with them, and celebrate your own successes from the year!

This is by no means an exhaustive list -- let me know which ones you find useful, or others you would like to add by commenting below!

Cheers to a "balanced" holiday season!
Jennifer

Jennifer Britton
Potentials Realized
Email: jennifer[at]potentialsrealized[dot]com
Toll Free: 1-866-217-1960