3 Ways to Set Yourself Up for Success This Holiday Season
Tis’ the season of turkeys, family, gifts, and….overwhelm? If you’re like us, the holiday season, while exciting, tends to bump up the anxiety levels. On top of your weekly to do’s, there are extra promotions and advanced marketing strategies. Store hours are longer and the daylight feels shorter.
There are presents to wrap, family dynamics to wade through, and then the added stress of navigating the holidays during a pandemic. Whew! The list goes on.
At the end of the day, it’s the moments that matter. The time with family and friends, the love that is shared — it’s all important and so needed as we wrap up 2020. So how do we get to a place where we can truly appreciate this season, allowing ourselves the time and energy to be present?
With all this in mind, we want to offer you 3 simple strategies that will set you up for success in your relationships, business, and overall cheer this holiday season!
1. Prioritize your time and to-do list.
This may seem like a no-brainer, but when it comes to strategy, nothing helps more than writing a simple list. Taking the time to prioritize your business to-do’s, familial obligations, and even present lists will relieve stress and give you that sweet satisfaction of checking things off as you go!
We recommend making separate lists for each category that could potentially cause you anxiety this season. If you combine “buy Grandma’s scarf” on the same list as “send out invoices”, it can quickly become overwhelming and confusing when it comes to actually prioritization. So separate them out and prioritize accordingly.
Another thing to practice around this time is the art of saying NO. Say it loud and say it proud! This is why prioritization lists help so much in the long run, as they clarify what’s most important. Preparing to be present takes work, but it’s worth the effort! And saying no to certain tasks or simply finding ways to delegate is a way to honor yourself and the ones you love.
2. Be present.
We can’t express this point enough! Be present with the ones you love this year. Sit in the special moments and take time to mark down the memories. We’ve had a rough year, and taking time to love on family and friends is not only healing but energizing. Being present helps us remember what’s most important and the WHY behind our hustle. To create a few boundaries to help you really soak it all up this season! Turn off your phone for the entire day of Thanksgiving, or better yet, take the whole weekend off! Go ahead and prepare your away messages and email sign-offs so your team and clients know you’re unavailable. Encourage your team to do the same and actually give them that space. Presence is what it’s all about, so make it a priority and give yourself that gift!
3. Be patient.
The holiday season is a bit stressful for everyone, no matter how joyous it seems. The expectation of a perfect table and beautiful family time is often dulled by the reality that is family dynamics. Everyone reacts differently to stress, and as we’re in a pandemic, emotions are bound to run even higher than normal.
Go ahead and be practicing some patience. Anticipate that there will be a few moments of anxiety and get your mind in the right place. Whether it’s taking an extra yoga class or meditation this week or saying no to something you know will induce drama, find ways to practice patience and offer grace abundantly. We’re all doing the best we can, so let’s be kind and spread love wherever we can.
Setting yourself up for success this holiday season is so important after the year we’ve had! Taking time to prioritize and ensure you have the capacity to be fully present is going to give you so much peace throughout this final month. Learning to be patient and offering lots of grace throughout the holiday will keep you kind and grounded in what truly matters. Happy Thanksgiving, from our Copperheart family to yours!