It’s that time of year again, the holidays are back!
Bring out the tree, blast some Christmas music and prepare yourself for all the festive hustle and bustle. Some people may love the sounds of that but we know it isn’t everyone’s cup of tea. The holidays can be both exciting and stressful and not to mention, exhausting. Trying to keep the holiday spirit alive in your household while also trying to meet hectic deadlines at work can really take a toll on your health.
This is is why we want to share with you 4 ways you can enjoy the holidays while balancing your personal life and work life! It might take some practice at first but you’re going to love the relief it brings you, especially during this busy and chaotic season!
Get Your Priorities Straight
Blunt but very necessary during this busy time. The key to surviving holiday overload is by prioritizing your work and personal activities.
Start by making a list of priorities and deadlines you need to meet for work. Then create a separate list for your personal priorities like dance recitals, Christmas shopping, and holiday parties.
Make sure your lists are in order of most important to less important. Having a physical list at-hand at all times will help you stay focus and help you better manage your deadlines in both your work and personal life!
Use Your Time Well
We can’t stress this enough. Time is precious and you need to use it effectively! Now that you’ve created a list of priorities, try jotting in “estimated times” to help you stay in line and on time. Now, if you are working on new projects at work and have no clue how long those tasks will take, try tracking your time as you work.
After tracking your time for roughly a week, you should be able to take educated guesses on how long certain tasks may take. Again, these allotted times will be beneficial in keeping you focused and on-task.
To prevent stress or “rushed” jobs, we highly suggest giving yourself a little wiggle room here and there and remind yourself that even though it is ideal to stick to the allotted time you set, you also have the freedom to allow yourself to be flexible.
Another way for you to open up some extra minutes to your day is by simply disconnecting from distractions like social media and Netflix. We’re not asking you to stop using those things – we’re not crazy! Lessening your social media and Netflix dosage will free up more time so you can focus on a healthy work-life balance.
Another way to maximize your time is to do majority of your Christmas shopping online. This particular piece of advice is perfect for a busy body or someone who tends to work late. The online world never closes so take advantage of that! Work smart, not harder – or should we say, shop smarter, not harder.
Separate Your Work and Personal Life
Much easier said than done but not impossible! This is something you should be practicing all year round.
Set boundaries for your work and personal life and stick to it! Sure, your employer might have full control over the hours you spend at work each week but you get to choose whether or not you want to bring work home or work overtime. Like we stated previously, you want to use your time efficiently, so consider saying no to extra work to upkeep your mental health and family time.
Now, stick to the plan! When you’re at work, focus on the work you are doing. When you’re at home, leave your work behind. Separating these two things will make the holiday season much more enjoyable for you. There’s nothing worse than bringing home your work stress and letting it dictate your night.
Take Care of Yourself
Reduced stress, more “me time,” improved family time are the benefits of having a healthy work-life balance. Neglecting your physical health and mental health will only burn you out. This is why you need to master this work-life thing now so you can enjoy and treat yourself later!
Start by setting aside at least 1 hour a day for “me time.” Use this time to do things you like to do and don’t mind doing alone. For example, grab a book and head over to a local coffee shop, go to the spa and get a facial, go to the gym, or sit down and get crafty. The options are endless. The best part? Simply doing these things for you and for no one else. You make the rules here, there’s no restrictions, judgement or pressure in “me time.”
If you can’t afford to set aside time just for you, find other ways to get in that special time for yourself, even if it’s only possible in small doses. Instead of driving to work, walk to work. A short walk to work will give you time to organize your thoughts while also giving you that little bit of physical exercise too. Instead of having lunch at your workplace, step out for a moment, use the stairs instead of the elevator, send your documents to the furthest printer- all these things will help you better care for yourself and keep you sane during the holiday craziness.