I have a lot of work-related things that I should be working on right now, because I have told myself that I am “checking out” on December 1 to enjoy the holidays with my family.
(I don’t reasonably expect that this is going to happen… but it’s a goal. Goals are good, right?)
The present, pressing things on my to-do list keep getting pushed to the back burner though. Instead, my brain keeps drifting toward the upcoming year.
What are my goals for next year? What is the PLAN?!?
This paradoxical form of procrastination has been driving me crazy. Why am I planning the NEXT thing when I need to deal with the things that are staring me in the face right this moment?
The human brain will go to great lengths to protect itself. And I believe that mine is doing this to try to protect me from the anxiety that I have started to feel over the past few years about the sheer volume of tasks and events and small details that land on my plate every year at this time.
The Lazy Genius Method
At the suggestion of a number of friends, I finally caught the latest episode of The Lazy Genius podcast (see footnote) yesterday, and she was talking about listmaking.
She suggests that listeners should brain-dump a list of everything coming up in the next month that:
Feels Overwhelming
Doesn’t Have a Plan
Then, we should:
Prioritize What We Want To Dive Into
Make Things Easier Where We Can
Let Go Of Things Wherever Possible
As she spoke, it occurred to me that part of the reason I am doing this bizarre procrastination-disguised-as-planning thing is that I don’t even know what I am dealing with.
Worst Case Scenarios
As someone raised by a parent who is adamant about “preparing for the worst-case scenario”… this manifests in wild ways in my brain.
“I might possibly have to host Thanksgiving AND Christmas dinners for 25 people, because I haven’t actually sat down to have any conversations with people about the actual plan.”
Has this ever happened?
No!!! And it probably never will. But in my mind it could…
And therein lies a big part of my problem.
Almost everything feels overwhelming to me precisely because my procrastination has prevented me from making a plan.
Making Plans, Taking Back Control
Yesterday I decided I’m tired of feeling this way, so I sat down to start taking back control of my life and my sanity.
Here’s what I did:
1. | Got Out My Planner
Some plans are set in stone. Those are the easiest ones to manage.
The Christmas program is this date. We are going out of town on these days.
I use a paper planner and a Google Calendar, so I input those dates that I do have in both spots so I have a visual reference point. Now I can see what days have some breathing room and where I can spend focused time getting stuff done.
I also made a few phone calls and scheduled some “fun stuff” that is important to me from a sentimental standpoint.
Now I know I have carved out dedicated time for traditions and meaningful activities that are important to me. And that feels pretty good.
2. | Did the Brain Dump
Once I took the time to let it all out on paper, a pattern very quickly emerged.
I could not only see it take shape on paper, but I could actually feel it in my body as I looked at each item I wrote.
The actual holiday stuff made me feel warm and lit up. When I saw “decorating day” for example, that made me feel excited and light.
When I looked at the list of open-ended work tasks that I have given myself a deadline to finish in 3 weeks? Those are the ones that made anxiety well up in my throat and constricted my breathing a little bit.
Not a great feeling.
BUT.
This gives me something to work with. Because I know that this is where I need to focus my energy now so that I can make that feeling go away and be able to enjoy the Turkey Trot with my sister and my annual Christmas shopping day with my mom.
Next, I pulled those work items off the list and blocked off a day on my calendar to dedicate to finishing each of these projects.
I’m dedicating a day to schedule my social media posts for all the accounts I manage from now until December 31.
I’m setting aside a few hours to follow up with all my clients from the past year with a gift and a thank you note so that I can feel closure and tie a final (pretty) bow on those past projects.
I’m accepting that the next few weeks might be pretty intense, but it’s for the greater good. Truthfully, there’s plenty to look forward to on the other side to make a few weeks of long work days worth it.
3. | Acknowledged The Daily Grind
One thing that she specifically mentioned on the podcast was adding was the everyday stuff. Not just the seasonal stuff.
And this is where I had to pause a little. The thought of keeping up with the laundry and prioritizing my health and cooking dinner during the busy holidays makes me want to run from the room, if I’m being honest.
But then I remembered, this is nothing new for me (and it probably isn’t for you either). In fact, I took the time to plan my December dinners a few years ago and posted it as a blog post resource that is still just as useful today.
Maybe I can help take one little holiday stress off your plate?
I think I’m going to use this again this year as well; no need to reinvent the wheel.
I have also:
Signed up for a healthy meal delivery service to send me lunches for the next few months to help me eating fast food during this busy season so I can feel good about my eating habits and get enough daily protein/veggies.
Pre-Booked my workout classes to help me stay accountable for showing up consistently.
Blocked out time for my personal care appointments (hair, nails, etc.) to keep me feeling good during this busy time.
I’d love to hear what you are feeling about the end of 2023. Are you feeling cool, calm, and collected? Or are you just as overwhelmed as me?
What strategies are you using to cope right now?
Share your thoughts in the comments; I’d love to hear from you.
xoxo,
Suzette
Footnotes:
Click Here to Listen to The Lazy Genius Podcast Episode.
Thanks for putting this out in the world- I connected with so much of what you shared and I really struggle with planning ahead and pushing off the now! I do like the lens of trying to be proactive now so I can really enjoy December, so I am sitting down with my planner soon to schedule all the things so they actually happen and I can feel good with our "plans"- lets hope the rest of the family is onboard!