With the end of 2016 moving in briskly, it’s crunch time.
All the holiday festivities don’t make it any easier… As a matter of fact, this time of year can be one of the most stressful times because it’s peak for parties, cooking, and shopping. Work doesn’t stop either, so everything is just go go go! To help you better manage an insane workload that often comes with Q4, we thought we’d offer some foolproof tips that helps us year after year…
#1 Plan plan plan!
You know Thanksgiving is 2.5 weeks away, so if you haven’t planned what you’re cooking and where you’ll be, you’re just asking to be flustered the Wednesday before. Planning is key… What are all the main activities you need to do before year-end?
#2 Keep a list.
As you think of all those need to-dos, write them out so you can visualize which activities require the most time commitment. It also helps you bundle your workload - if you have a Friendsgiving next week and Thanksgiving the week after, why not group your grocery trips? If you have a few assignments due the week of Thanksgiving, why not start working on them now? You’ll feel better knowing you can relax when the holidays arrive.
#3 Break it up.
The worst thing you can do in times of stress is panic. No matter how heavy the workload, it’s always more manageable when you break them up into chunks… Visualizing everything that needs to be done through that list allows you to break down the bigger tasks into smaller achievable ones, which also means you can start right now.
#4 Act strategically.
Once you’ve made your list, broke up your to-dos in manageable chunks, it’s time to act strategically. That means delegate where possible… Don’t be afraid to ask for help. Also, be mindful of your time. Christmas is coming… plan for Black Friday deals, use gift guides to direct your holiday shopping, and begin budgeting appropriately. Your bank account and credit card bills look better when there isn’t a lump of debt arriving or your savings missing.
#5 Be productive.
You’ve heard it before - work smarter, not harder!
If you want to be efficient and effective with an insane workload, you need to stay focused! That means decline adding more to your to-do list and staying the course when pressured by friends and co-workers to attend happy hour. Now isn’t the time to procrastinate. Let’s get to work!
Image Source Credits - Vogue Mexico
You Should Also Read:
There’s Still Time to Accomplish Everything You Set Out For This Year
5 Decisions You Will Regret 10 Years From Now
10 Easy Ways to Improve Your Life this Season
