The months of November and December are a whirlwind for mothers. They consist of not only holiday shopping but school programs, Bible study celebrations, holiday parties, and family gatherings. As a mom our days of celebrating this special time with our children can fly by without a second look from us as we are consumed by our list of tasks. But with three simple changes we can better manage our time during this season so that we don’t rush through it, but get to savor and enjoy the time with our family.
Tip 1: Say no to what is not important
There is only so much time to give and especially during the holidays its important to clarify what is a “must do” versus what is a “nice to do.” Do not feel bad saying no to engagements, events, or other activities that are not important to you. Something that is important to someone else might not be important to your right now and that is fine. Do not agree to help with something just because you think it is the right thing to do. Stay confident in your decision about your priorities and eliminate all the other extras that don’t contribute to the success of those priorities. And remember that what is important to others may not be important to you and vice versa. Set your own value of importance and do not be ashamed to stay true to it.
Tip 2: Schedule in time to relax or spend time with your family
It is a sad fact but often our families receive the last of our attention. During the holiday season especially this is tragic and something that we definitely do not want to happen. In order to make sure that this does not happen, we can schedule our family time before we commit to any other activities. Then we when look at our calendar or planner to say that we will attend another gathering, we will see that we already have family time planned and will keep that time set apart for those who we hold most dear.
Tip 3: Get as much done beforehand as you can
There is a lot that can be done before the holiday rush begins. Christmas cards, baking, teacher gifts, and gift buying are all tasks that can be relegated to November or earlier to free up your time in December to enjoy the things that you hold most important. Bake early and freeze the treats. Use a picture from your summer vacation for your Christmas card and keep a running spreadsheet of addresses to ease the time consuming task of address gathering each year. By planning ahead we can remove items from our to-do list before our time gets even more overcome with last minute plans.
