Five tips for coaching yourself through the chaos of your holiday to-do list!
If you know me at all, then you know that I bake an EPIC amount of Christmas cookies each year for friends and family. As the holiday approached, I realized I was dreading this long-time tradition of mine when it's usually something I LOVE.
What's different this year?
I have several projects I'm working on that launch in January and February, and I'm on a deadline. Every second I have counts, and I don't have many to spare.
(Updates on that coming soon!)
I’m known for intricate icing decoration, particularly with my snowflake cookies, and this is the part of the experience that is most time-consuming. So, I began a conversation with my Inner Coach to figure out a plan.
My Inner Coach asked, “Julia, what is the most important part of eating a Christmas Cookie?”
“The taste,” I replied.
“With that in mind, how can you do less while still giving out delicious cookies?”
“…but the icing decoration is important; it’s what people expect!” I replied stubbornly.
I paused and thought momentarily, and my Inner Coach asked, “How can you simplify this process and still produce a decorative and delicious cookie that takes up less of your time?”
I immediately knew what I had to do. For starters, I picked THREE cookie cutters to use instead of the TEN different designs I typically choose. A tree, a candy cane, and one medium-sized snowflake. Those three were the easiest to bake and decorate. Then I made three batches of cookie dough – the first without dye for snowflakes, the second green for trees, and the third red for candy canes.
I baked some candy canes and trees with peppermint bark and Andes mint sprinkles so that they would not require any icing for decoration but would be pretty and tasty. I would not “flood” the other cookies with icing and do my usual ornate decoration on top of that.
Instead, I would use simple icing designs to accent the dyed cookie. I would do the same with the snowflakes. I would skip the “flooding” and only do the icing spires that make the snowflake look like a snowflake!
My first batch took HALF the time it usually takes me, so I could also get my cookies shipped sooner. To save even more time, instead of taking my boxes to UPS, I measured the boxes, created USPS Priority mail labels, and scheduled a free pickup with USPS of all boxes.
You might be thinking, “Julia, who cares about your cookies? I have REAL problems I’m dealing with!”
I get it.
I told you this story because we all have to-do lists for the holiday season. Some tasks are more daunting than others. This was an example of how I re-thought one item on my list. It was more efficient, and it helped with my stress level!
If I can do it, so can you. It's time to reframe, simplify, and refocus.
I’ve got five great tips for coaching yourself through the chaos of your holiday to-do list below!
Ask for help.
People love you and want to help; don't be afraid to ask.
Write down your list.
Refocus by separating items into two categories: What MUST get done and the if-it-doesn't-get-done-nobody-will-die. Only focus on the MUST-get-done category. List them in order of HARDEST to easiest. Always attack the most complex tasks first!
Ask yourself, "What about this task makes it difficult?" Then, ask, "Is there a way to simplify the work in completing the task without hurting the outcome?"
Sometimes, this means troubleshooting and simplifying as I did with my cookies, but it can often mean making a PLAN. This might mean breaking down the next two weeks, day by day, and writing on your calendar or in your phone notes - or going analog with a piece of paper - the tasks you need to complete every day. This could also be a reframe where you look at the task differently.
Check things off that list.
Removing things from your list after completion can be incredibly satisfying! Once everything is done, or you feel you're in good shape, now is a time to revisit the if-it-doesn't-get-done-nobody-will-die category of items.
Give yourself grace.
We are incredibly adept at putting pressure on ourselves. That pressure usually doesn't exist outside of our brains. Back to my cookies; had I not made cookies this year and explained why, I would have received everyone's full support. While folks might be disappointed, they would still understand. Be kind and forgiving with yourself.
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