The Holiday Season, Planned with Purpose

A Working Mom’s Guide to Planning, Prioritizing, and Enjoying the Holiday Season

Christmas is my favorite time of the year! I love the decorations, holiday festivities, family traditions, traveling, and the opportunity to create special memories with my children. I can easily get wrapped up in the hustle and bustle. But let’s be honest for a moment: the holiday season can also be one of the busiest times of the year, particularly for working moms. This is the time of the year when you’re closing out things at work, closing out goals (hopefully), all while layering in festive moments. As much as I enjoy the holidays, I have learned that enjoying the season requires intentional planning. I don’t want to spend the entire holiday season checking things off my to-do list only to realize that I was too busy to enjoy the moments I worked so hard to create. In today’s blog post, I am sharing practical tips for managing the holiday hustle without feeling overwhelmed.

Managing the Collide

The holiday season coincides with an especially demanding time at work. It’s easy to allow work responsibilities to consume the time we intended to spend enjoying the holidays. Depending on your profession, the holiday and year-end collision may look different. One thing I prioritize is creating a year-end work checklist. I identify what absolutely needs to be completed, what can be delegated, and what can reasonably wait until January.

Here are three ways to manage your professional responsibilities:

• Prioritize your deliverables. Identify critical deadlines and outstanding commitments. Don’t confuse everything on your list with something that must be completed immediately.
• Close the communication loop. Follow up on outstanding requests, document important updates, and establish clear expectations with colleagues before taking time off.
• Establish your boundaries. Schedule your time away and communicate your availability. Give yourself permission to disconnect when you’re off.

Year-end reviews are also a hot topic during this time of year. Do NOT, I repeat, do NOT let this activity slip through the cracks! Prioritize getting meaningful feedback from your manager and key stakeholders. Take the time to reflect on your accomplishments, document your contributions, and identify opportunities for professional growth. This is also a great opportunity to discuss your career goals, establish priorities for the upcoming year, and make sure your contributions and impact are visible. Don’t just close out the year. Set yourself up for a strong start to the next one!

Plan the Holiday Activities That Create Lasting Memories

My kids and I have had some epic holiday adventures! From Bush Gardens Christmas Town to ICE at Gaylord National… we fully embrace the holiday spirit. Check out other Holiday Inspired Blog Posts Below.

Christmas in New York

Festive Fun| Family Christmas Travel

Festive Fun| Family Christmas Travel

Presence Over Presents

One thing I’ve learned about motherhood is that children often remember the experiences more than the presents. Of course, there are gifts they will remember, especially the ones they’ve been anticipating all year. But I find that the interactions, outings, and special moments we share often leave a lasting impression. I also enjoy incorporating one-on-one time with each of my children. It gives us an opportunity to connect individually and create memories that are special to our relationship.

Here are a few ways I make room for meaningful experiences:

• Create a holiday activity list. Identify local attractions, light displays, seasonal events, and family traditions you’d like to experience.
• Schedule individual time with your children. It doesn’t have to be an elaborate outing. Sometimes lunch, baking together, or a special shopping trip is enough.
• Prioritize experiences over excess spending. Be intentional about gift giving without feeling pressured to purchase everything on your children’s wish lists.
• Protect your family time. When we’re enjoying a holiday activity, I intentionally step away from work and business responsibilities.

The best holiday memories aren’t always wrapped in a box. Sometimes they’re created in the moments we make time to share. – Dr. Debranetta

To Wrap It Up

As we approach the end of another year, I encourage you to think about what you want the holiday season to look and feel like. The holidays are an opportunity to slow down, reconnect, celebrate, and create memories. Don’t let the pressure of making everything perfect take away from the beauty of simply being present.