Holiday Guide 101There are tons of wonderful holiday guides, apps, and blog posts available for making your holidays more organized, less stressful, and much happier.  Resources like List PlanIt, Real Simple, and The Happiness Project blog are chock full of ideas and tips. As we have begun the holiday season, I wanted to share some tips I use to keep me organized, sane, and happy during this season of celebration.

Plan – Before doing anything including saying “yes” or “no” to invites, decide how much activity you want to participate in during the holiday season. Do you want to host? Do you want to be a guest? Do you want a combination of each? Look at your calendar. Talk with your family. Stop to review and block out the time you want to devote to the upcoming festivities.

Prep – Now that you’ve done some planning, taking time to prepare for the various events (whether hosting or guesting,) will help keep you calm and make the gatherings more enjoyable. If you’re hosting, set aside some quiet time to review the things you’ll need to buy, cook, order, or get ready. I’m a big fan of list making. For annual events, I use an electronic version of the event and update it each year. If you’re going to be a guest, is there anything you need to bring? If so, add this to your list. Give yourself calendar time to both think and do.

Play – Along with the holidays, comes a lot of doing. This might include food shopping, gift buying, cooking, organizing spaces for guests, or changing schedules and routines. There might be more people, sounds, and activities happening in your home than you’re used to. If you adopt a playful attitude and focus on the joy of doing whether that’s baking apple pies, changing sheets for the umpteenth time, or running to the market for the few ingredients that you forgot on your last trip, you will significantly increase your happiness factor. Practice mindfulness while you’re actively doing. Be present. Enjoy each step.

Pace – It’s so easy to get caught up in the frenzy of the holiday eating, shopping, and cooking. Usually social interaction is increased and personal time is decreased. Remember to pace yourself, paying special attention to self-care. Get enough sleep, watch your caffeine intake, stay hydrated, build in exercise time, eat nutritiously and take short “me-time” breaks before you’re feeling frazzled.

Pause – Shifting our thoughts to a positive state of mind, becomes especially important during the holidays. These are special times when we gather with our loved ones, enjoy wonderful meals, extra time together, and express our gratitude and love for one another. As much as we love our family and friends, so much togetherness or “family dynamics” can add some holiday stress. Think about being gratitude-focused. Let those that you love know how you feel. Time is precious. Life is precious.

I am so grateful for this wonderful community of people that contribute so generously to the blog. I’d love to hear from you. What are your favorite holiday tips or thoughts?

How do slippers relate to navigating change? Let me explain. I have various collections of things, including slippers. Like most collectors, I have my favorite among favorites. In this case, my purple velvet beaded slippers are the pair I use and enjoy most because they are cozy, sparkly, beautiful, and purple.

Most wearable objects don't last forever and my slippers are no exception. They have brought me simple comfort and delight on the coldest of nights. They are now worn to the point of no longer being comfortable because of the tattered interiors. The time had come to change my slippers.

As a professional organizer, one of the things I do is help people edit and let go of those “things” that have overstayed their welcome. What I found so interesting was how resistant I was to releasing and replacing this particular pair of slippers. Isn't that how it often is with change? When we have to let go of something we actually love be it a person, place, thing or concept, it becomes even more challenging.

I did a few things to prepare for the inevitable. Yes, I know we’re talking about slippers, but the concepts are applicable to use for more significant changes. Maybe one of these ideas will help you the next time you are struggling with change.

1. Indulge in Procrastinating- I allowed my resistant thoughts about not doing anything to be present for as long as I needed. Procrastination is often looked upon as something negative. But for me, it gave me the time to process that change was going to happen.

2. Research Possibilities- I hunted for slippers that might be even better than what I had. To my disappointment, they didn't exist. In the process of searching it allowed me to appreciate just how great these slippers had been, and also opened the door for something else. Just engaging in the research process, mentally prepared me and opened my mind to other possibilities.

3. Test Something Different- As I mentioned, I have a collection of slippers. I looked them over and picked out another pair to start wearing instead of the worn ones. Happily, I discovered that it actually wasn't so bad. In fact, they were much more comfortable with their smooth interiors. It reinforced the positive aspect that change brings with it some nice surprises and a dash of hope.

4. Use Photos or Words- It helped me to take photos and write about the slippers. Sometimes the memories of our lives can be captured as visuals or words to commemorate objects with meanings or special moments with loved ones. Having these other references allows us to process, honor, and then let go of the physical. This paves the path for embracing change.

So where am I now? My velvet slippers will be exiting shortly. I'm still indulging a bit in procrastination-land. I have, however, ordered two new pairs of slippers from Pearl River in turquoise and purple and am awaiting their arrival.

Is it time to change your slippers or something else? Join in the conversation about letting go, change, and the gifts to come.

Each day gives us the opportunity to use our time in a variety of ways. I just enjoyed a wonderful long weekend with plenty of time to relax and hang out with family and friends. It was a good combination of planned and unplanned time. Even though every day differs from a long weekend, we can integrate certain concepts to regularly give us a more balanced mix.

Looking at one of my typical days, I noticed that it was divided into eight segments. These groups represent how the time might be used during a given day. If you feel overworked and time-poor, try integrating some of these ideas into your day. It might result in a more comfortable balance.

8 W's of Time Management

Wake. Readying for the day sets the tone for the hours that follow. Review your morning routine. Do you give yourself enough time to prepare for your day? Instead, are you rushing and stressed from the moment you wake? What can you do to improve your start? I like to shower first thing. The water is refreshing and helps me wake up as I wash the sleepiness away. After getting dressed, I enjoy my morning cup of coffee and a small breakfast.

Work. The work begins. Do you feel ready to start? Have you looked at your calendar the night before so that you know where you need to be and when? Have you planned for travel time? Most mornings, I wake early enough to have some desk time before leaving for my clients. I use that time to catch up on emails, work on social media, papers, or calls. Then I go to work with my clients.

Waffle. You don't have to eat a waffle but eat something. Working takes energy. It's important to take a break and nourish yourself during the day. It can be tempting to eat on the run. I have been guilty of that and have eaten sandwiches while driving. That's not good for digestion or the other drivers on the road. Sitting and relaxing while you eat is beneficial and safer. Most likely, you’ll want to repeat the Waffle segment around dinnertime.

Walk. Since much of my work is indoors, getting some sunshine and fresh air is essential. Especially now, with the gorgeous spring weather, I love taking walks. It's even nicer when I'm walking with my family or friends. Not only is it great exercise, but I also get to reconnect with the people I love.

Wiggle. Add the toe-wiggling factor into your day. What do I mean by that? What makes you so joyful that your toes wiggle in delight? It's different for all of us. A simple cup of blueberry or grapefruit sorbet from our local ice cream shop, The Blue Pig, is enough to bring on the wiggle. I'm not suggesting that you eat ice cream every day. The idea is to incorporate simple things that bring you pleasure.

Write. Writing has become a regular part of my days between blogging, authoring The Other Side of Organized, emailing, social media-ing, and journaling. Using this way to reflect enriches my daily experience. Sometimes, my writing is just a sentence fragment containing a seed idea. Other days, an idea develops into a full-blown blog post. Writing in different locations is inspiring, too. One of my favorite places to write is at the Hudson River. If you don't enjoy writing, consider recording your thoughts or taking a reflection break where you don’t record but think about your day.

Wrap-Up. Days are full. Before finishing, take time for preparation and closure. Preparation might include reviewing tomorrow's schedule, clearing your desk, gathering items you'll need the next day, or selecting your clothes. I have a pull-down desk. I know I've finished my wrap-up when I clear the surface, turn off the light, and close the desk. It's my "done for the day" signal. How do you know when you’re done?

Wish. Your day is nearing the end. Give yourself time to relax, dream, and restore. Perhaps you like reading in bed, watching a movie, or lying down and doing nothing. Sleeping and dreaming will replenish your energy and get you ready for tomorrow. Each new day brings another chance to design the day with your combination of W's.

Which W’s resonate with you? Are there other W’s you’d like to include?

Preparation is essential when it comes to letting go. It’s being in a state of readiness. I became acutely aware of the connection between preparation and letting go on my recent trip to San Diego. I was away for almost a week as an attendee and exhibitor at NAPO’s annual conference for professional organizers. I didn’t just walk out the door. I needed to get ready both mentally and physically in order to leave my normal routine and enjoy the adventure ahead.

This idea of preparing to let go resonated with me. Many of us experience challenges in this arena whether we are letting go of places, people or things.

8 Ways to Prepare to Let Go

If you are having difficulty letting go, perhaps some of my thoughts about preparation will help you to move forward.

1. Plan – To leave things behind, it helps to know that they are in good shape. This might involve organizing our papers, arranging our family’s schedules, or finding resources to donate our treasures. Knowing that our affairs are in reasonable order helps prepare us to move ahead.

2. Focus – Be in the moment. It’s so common to dwell on the past or worry about the future. Focusing on where you are enables you to enjoy the present and let go when the time comes.

3. Embrace – While being in the moment is important, preparing emotionally to embrace the joy that will come from change is key. Letting go can be painful, but presents us with wonderful opportunities that we couldn’t have imagined otherwise.

4. Emote – When letting go is involved, our emotions will be too. Expect a range of feelings from distress to elation. These and everything in between are normal. Allowing yourself to feel along the journey is key in letting go and processing your experiences.

5. Dare – Helen Keller said, “Life is a daring adventure or nothing.” Bravery is required to let go of the familiar and forge ahead to the unknown. Take a deep breath and tap into your brave side.

6. Control – The opposite of letting go is control. For many of us, the unwillingness to relinquish control prevents us from moving forward. Interestingly though, by giving up some control, we allow ourselves and those near us to flourish.

7. Rejuvenate– Leaving behind our schedules, lives or clutter can renew our energy, increase our focus and move us in new directions. Letting go rejuvenates our spirit and gives us a chance to look at things from a refreshed perspective.

8. Dream – Imagine the positive for what our lives, spaces and relationships will be like when we allow ourselves to let go of the things that are holding us back. While none of us can predict the future, filling our thoughts with positive expectations can motivate us to let go.

Let’s return for a moment to my San Diego trip. Before I left there were many things I had to let go of.  I focused on the word “reasonable,” while I negotiated between the fantasy and reality of what I wanted to accomplish before leaving. This blog post was one of those items. I ran out of both time and energy to write it before leaving. Instead, I renegotiated with myself about what was possible. This allowed me to let go of the “shoulds,” find satisfaction in the “dids,” and enjoy the “what ifs.”

I’d love to hear from you. What helps shift you into a state of readiness?