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Overcome Procrastination
Organize your Finances
Set SMART Goals
Update your Systems
Manage your Time
Tame your Papers
Patricia Diesel
PO, CEC, Author/Columnist
Keep It Simple Now, LLC
908-766-9670
www.keepitsimplenow.com
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CAPTURING YULETIDE BLISS
IDEAS FOR A HAPPY HOLIDAY SEASON
By: Patricia Diesel
The Season of Giving is officially here. It’s
a wonderful time of year when people’s
spirits are high and their hearts full of
joy; a time filled with excitement and
activities. Unfortunately, those high spir-
its can lead to short sighted decisions
because we often stretch ourselves too
thin, compromising our ability to make
healthy choices. We may tend to over
eat, over spend, or simply put, just over
indulge, which can lead us to easily feel
overwhelmed, stressed out, and gloomy.
So I’m curious, with the holidays upon
us, do you think, “Joy to the world” or is
your response a bit more along the lines
of “Wait, I still haven’t figured out my
Halloween costume.” If you are leaning
more towards “pumpkins and zombies,”
than “pilgrims and holiday ornaments,”
then chances are the holiday season cre-
ates more pressure and tension than
peace and happiness.
I can remember a time when I wished I
could just glide blindly through the holi-
days. Fortunately, things have changed
now, and I can look forward to the holi-
day season with a calmer attitude. I now
make conscious decisions about who I
want to spend my holidays with, and
how much time, money, and emotion I
want to invest. I choose to be calm and
peaceful which allows me to enjoy the
holiday season for what it should be – a
time to immerse in the warmth of family
and the spirit of the holidays.
Let me share with you some ideas to help
you enjoy your holiday season.
Become a Visionary
Usually when January comes rolling
around, we reflect on how we wish we
would have done something differently
about the holidays. Start now and con-
sider how you want to feel when January
comes around; less rushed, calmer, hap-
pier? Would you like to have time that is
more fun with your family? Would you
like to feel more in control and maintain
your gift budget to avoid excess debt?
Try to determine ahead of time what you
want the holidays to mean and reflect,
and then stick with that vision.
Get Organized
Think about it. The holidays require plan-
ning, so get organized. Prepare an “MIT”
(
Most Important Things) list in conjunc-
tion with your “To-Do” list that contains
all the regular holiday tasks. The list will
likely include cooking, baking, shopping,
wrapping, and holiday gatherings. Make
sure your calendar is also up to date and
not inadvertently overbooked. You may
need to say “no” to certain things/activ-
ities to make the season more manage-
able and enjoyable.
Use Time Wisely
Do not be a time cruncher. Assign times
and target deadlines to specific tasks.
Let’s just say that from now until the hol-
idays you need approximately 40 hours
of time to complete your “MIT” and
“
To-Do” list – don’t wait until the last
moment to figure this out. Get out your
calendar and dedicate small blocks of
time so you can gradually achieve your
many tasks.
Be Budget Minded
Stay budget minded and spend within
your means. This conscientiousness will
help you maintain control of your
finances; and when January comes
rolling around, you will be thankful you
did. Great gifts come in many forms and
being budget conscious allows for cre-
ativity. It’s also an opportunity to put your
“
personal” touches on your gifts.
Remember, gifts do not always have to
be store bought – it is the thought that
counts. Make your Christmas purchases
during the year at sales or give souvenirs
from memorable vacations to decorate
the Christmas tree.
Shop Sensibly
If shopping with crowds of people stress
you out, consider shopping when there
are less people. Many malls have early
morning shopping hours or business dis-
tricts have special shopping nights. There
is also the convenience of online shop-
ping. A good list and a quiet evening at
home can get most of your shopping
done efficiently. And let’s not forget
about our options to shop and support
our local businesses.
De-Stress
The holidays can create emotional clut-
ter, so try to be aware of what may trig-
ger your stress.
If attending holiday parties, limit your
food and alcohol intake. If you find fam-
ily gatherings a tad tense, create an atti-
tude of gratitude and surrender your
resentments and anger. Choose to be
more flexible and accepting so you are in
charge of your experience.
About Patricia:
Patricia Diesel is a lead-
ing organizing expert and certified pro-
fessional life coach. As a national speak-
er and best selling author, she is passion-
ate about helping people enhance the
quality of their life. To contact Patricia,
call (908) 766-9670, email patriciadiesel@
keepitsimplenow.com or visit her website
www.keepitsimplenow.com.
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