How to get through the holidays without losing your mind

If you feel like someone should fire a starting pistol — and GO! — the moment you wake up in the morning then it’s entirely possible that you’re trying to do far too much and all at once.

Life should not feel like a race. And yet, for most of us, the last few days before Christmas do feel like a non-stop sprint to the finish line, with gifts that need to be bought, wrapped and delivered, canapés to be prepared, and bathrooms that need to be scoured to make them guest-worthy.

It doesn’t have to be quite so exhausting, however.

In her new book, Ease: Manage Overwhelm in Times of Crazy Busy, coach and business communicator Eileen Chadnick offers a number of tips designed to help slow the pace and turn the holiday rush into something more like a holiday amble.

Her most valuable tip: learn to triage. Arrange your to-do list according to necessity. That means sort out what needs to be done — the musts — from what you want to get done.

“With the demands amplified at this time of year it is impossible to ‘do it all’. Identify the absolute essentials and commit to those first. Then park or reschedule other things that can wait,” advises Chadnick.

Part of triaging your life includes learning how to say no to events or commitments that put you over the edge, says Chadnick. “Consider this part of your triage strategy and identify where you must say ‘no’ or ‘no, not now’,” she explains.

Finally, be kind to yourself and don’t, “Grinch out on self-care. Be mindful of getting ample zzzz’s, exercise and good nutrition because you’ll need all the resilience and energy you can get to keep up with the pace and enjoy the holidays too.”

How do you balance it all through the holidays? Tell us in the comment section below.