Category: Christmas

Podcast #1: You deserve a calm not frazzled Christmas

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It’s December and the Christmas decorations are going up! It’s a fun time of year for many but the run up to Christmas can also be a stressful one.

Do you find yourself with a long list of things to do, shopping, gifting, activities, people to see and events to attend?

If you’re starting to feel under pressure, you’re not alone.

I sometimes have this problem and I’ve found that it can really help to get everything out of your head and onto paper.

Join me with your cuppa for this episode where I explore ideas to help make the lead up to Christmas easier, so that you can arrive at the Christmas holiday’s calm not frazzled.

To make things easier for you I’ve created the Ultimate Calm Christmas Planner that you can download for free today.

Watch out for my next episode where we think about Clutter-free Christmas Gifting.

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I’m Laura, sensitive and practical Professional Organiser based in Nottingham and supporting clients all over the Midlands. Find out more here

How to Avoid Overwhelm this Christmas

Are you calm and in control, or feeling the pressure in the run up to Christmas?

Ah Christmas, that special time of year where we slow down, contemplate the year that's past, give thanks, spend time with family, sing carols, eat turkey with all the trimmings and enjoy cheeky drinks with friends.

Are you looking forward to Christmas as we head into the last months of the year, feeling calm and in control or are you starting to feel the pressure?

Do you want to create the perfect Christmas? It should be a magical time, full of wonderful memories and a time to enjoy well earned treats, shouldn't it?

But at what cost? You don't want to feel completely overwhelmed and reach Christmas Eve stressed out! You deserve to enjoy yourself too, to relax, have a good time and be present to enjoy time with loved ones.

If you are feeling the pressure, these ideas can help you to stay in control and avoid feeling overwhelmed over the coming weeks.

5 Tips to help you avoid the overwhelm this Christmas

  1. Stop! Doing more, faster and working late into the night may get you there eventually but it will burn you out in the process, making you stressed and taking the enjoyment out of it for you and your family. Make a little time to stop and take stock...
  2. Make quick lists of everything that is spinning around in your head - To do lists, people you want to give gifts to, Christmas card list, food shopping – get everything out of your head and on to paper (or your phone). Then let it go. You don’t need to remember everything now but won’t risk losing sight of all those important things. Now you don’t need to wake in the night worrying that you’ve missed something
  3. Breathe – take a moment to re-centre yourself. Find a quiet spot, sit and close your eyes. Take a few minutes to listen to your breathing (don't try to control it, just observe), calm your thoughts, watch them pass by you but don’t explore them. Keep bringing yourself back to your breathing and focus on how your body moves naturally as you breathe. Do this daily if you can, it will help ground you and bring clarity and calm to your busy mind
  4. Strategize – it may not be possible to do everything you would like to do in the time available and it will stress you out trying. Noone wants you to reach Christmas a frazzled mess so you need to be strategic. Think carefully about what is most important to you this Christmas – for example, it might be having a nice time with family, it might be focusing on your beliefs, or making time for community. Now go through your lists and prioritise. Pick out the things that align with what's most important and down-grade those that don’t - if you don't get to these it's ok (cross them off if you are really feeling ruthless!)
  5. Be efficient with your time – buy gift vouchers for experiences and treats that friends and family wouldn’t normally get for themselves, bulk bake biscuits or other treats – handmade goods are always special, send e-cards instead of physical cards or make a donation to charity instead of sending Christmas cards, give the gift of your time – what about a New years walk in a beautiful location

'Less is more' - Ludwig Mies van der Rohe

Remember, the best thing you can do when all feels overwhelming is stop for a moment. Refocus and think about what's important. You'll be much clearer on the priorities and feel more in control.

I find it helps write everything down to get it out of my head and keep track of it all, so I've created a planner and checklist with key dates that I think will help you too. Download your free copy.

The gift of calm space - buy OrganisedWell gift vouchers here

If you would like to give the gift of calm this Christmas, a gift voucher for some sensitive, practical organising support might be just the thing! Find out more and buy vouchers below.

Wishing you a Merry Christmas and happy holidays!