I bet you can already feel the seasons changing and winter is now in full swing! So we are all getting ready for so many holiday celebrations crammed in such a short period of time!
How do you keep your sanity during it all? With family commitments, work parties, and overly busy schedules to get ready for it all we want to help you simplify these next 7 weeks so you can keep your sanity and stay happy (and healthy) over the holidays!
Here are 3 quick tips to own the overcome stress during the holidays.
1.) Schedule “Me” time!
Yes, you heard that right! What would benefit you the most during the busiest time of year is to schedule “Me” time.
The best way to do this is to pull out your calendar (I prefer one I can write on, the old fashioned way!) and mark on your calendar every commitment you already know about – every party, event, meeting, etc. that are non-negotiable and that you can’t miss. Once you have those all scheduled, now schedule your “Me” time. Now is not the time to skip workouts or just say “I am too busy and I am going to take the week off.”
Instead, schedule this very important time just like you would a doctor’s or dentist appointment. Place it in your calendar and make sure you hold yourself accountable to it by either letting people know that are close to you (like your family) that you have appointments with yourself on these days and times. Or even better, stay accountable to your coaches here at Epic Fitness by scheduling your coaching appointments ahead of time and sticking to your plan.
2.) Prioritize your day with the ONE thing that is non-negotiable to get done each day.
After diving into a ton of time-management books and the like, the biggest aha I got was after reading “The One Thing” by Gary Keller. It was this little gem:
Time is the most valuable non-renewable resource that we all have the exact same amount of. It is the way in which we use it that becomes the issue.
What Keller recommends (and what I find super fascinating) is actually making a “to-do” list with just ONE thing on the list. Yep, you heard me right – ONE THING! This leads to what they call in the book the “focusing question”, which is:
“What’s the ONE Thing I can do such by doing it everything else will be easier or unnecessary?”
This reflects back another important concept known as the Pareto Principle. 20% of your effort will produce 80% of your results. So, instead of having a never ending to-do list that will leave you even more stressed at the end of the day when you don’t even have half of the items complete, find that ONE thing and focus intently on getting it done each day.
Whether it is a project at work, some cleaning you have been putting off at home, or anything in-between, the power of the ONE thing is real! You will feel so accomplished, and that will allow you to stack wins each day on top of each other.
3.) Say “No” more than you say “Yes”
As I just wrote that, I know this may be wildly unpopular. I have been a “yes” man most all of my life, until I realized that respectfully saying “no” gave me freedom that I never thought I had the ability to have.
You will be asked by many people if you can do many, many things over the holidays. This is where you should be hyper aware of the amount of commitments you are making (schedule them ahead of time – see above!) and how it actually affects your life and your stress levels, especially during the holidays.
We have all been there – you just double booked yourself for that holiday party – and you need to go to both events! Isn’t that one of the worst feelings? Showing up for a half hour only to leave almost as quickly as you came. Gracefully saying “No” can be hard, especially if you have said yes in the past to similar things. But it also helps you avoid this awkward feeling. It also give you that precious resource of time back so you can do the more important things.
One of the best ways to get your sanity back during the holidays is to not be afraid to say “No.” Don’t even think that you have to give a reason why, it is ok to just say “thank you so much for the invite, but I will be unable to make it.”
One of the worst ways to respond is to say, “I will try to make it.” The word “try” presupposes the likelihood of failure by about 110%! Honestly, say it in any sentence and put yourself in the shoes of the receiver. “I will TRY to make it to your party.” Or, “I will try to pick you up from the airport.” How would that make you feel if you were stuck at the airport and that is the line your friend pulled on you! As Yoda famously said (make sure you recite this with the accent!):
“Do or do not. There is no try.”
I know this habit will be a tough one, but once you start to say “No” to the little things, you will see the amount of freedom and time it brings back into your life!
Most importantly, enjoy this holiday season with your friends, family and the people that mean the most to you and that lift you up!
Looking for a great kickstart in 2024 for your health and fitness? Look no further! Check out our upcoming New Years Challenge and how you can save hundreds on the challenge today!
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