how to get ahead of the holidays: start planning a year ahead
Are you in a vicious cycle where it seems like the holidays sneak up on you every year? Do you wish there was a way you could get out of this cycle? Keep reading and I'll share one of the techniques I use to have a stress-free holiday season next year.
Do you ever feel like the holidays come out of nowhere? Or maybe this happens to you for birthdays, anniversaries, really anything that takes place every single year but seems to hide away until the last moment. Yeah, I've been there, and sometimes I still find myself there, honestly. I'm happy to say I've found a technique that helps me feel that way less and even gives me a way to influence that feeling in a positive way when it does still happen.
Let's dive into how I plan for a stress-free holiday season next year, starting this year.
creating a holiday season template
The first technique that I use is building a holiday season template and putting it on my calendar for next year. This template can take whatever format works best for you: Word document, Google Doc, a note, paper, pen—choose an app, tool, or method that you already use on a daily basis that brings value to you. For me, my template is part of my annual planning process, which lives in my calendar under the event description. In the past, I've created a template list in Reminders or copied a template page in the Notes app on my iPhone.
What's most important about this template is the content. Here are a few questions I asked myself when I first created mine:
Who do I give presents to every year?
How much do I need to budget for next year?
What holiday parties, school activities, and community events happen every year?
When do stores start setting out holiday decorations?
When are the best times during the year to get deals?
What holiday-specific activities do I contribute to every year?
Reflecting on the past season
The second part of my preparation involves reflecting on the past season, which kind of goes hand-in-hand with building your initial holiday season template. Every season brings the opportunity for new beginnings, new traditions, new activities, and new ways for you to celebrate. During my reflection, I ask myself:
What did I do repeatedly that could turn into a template on its own? Think about a shopping list or holiday party planning.
Is there anything I did that could be done by someone else? Maybe you could record a quick how-to video or write down a three to five-step guide.
This one is huge and understandably could be difficult for some to implement for multiple reasons, but it is a game-changer. For example, if you have a holiday meal you always cook but only you know the recipes, get that recipe out of your head and onto some paper—even if it's digital paper. For me, it has to do with gift wrapping. I'm the type of person that usually prefers gift bags and tissue paper because I like simple things. However, there are certain gifts where I just can't find a gift bag big enough. I have very specific ways I like to wrap my gifts, so I can create a quick video that shows step-by-step how I wrap a particular gift or create a quick guide with some pictures.
The third question I ask myself during reflection is: How can I collaborate more with others to make the holidays less stressful? Sometimes it's as simple as asking others for help or proposing a barter system, like trading tasks with a friend or family member who has different strengths. For instance, if you have a work bestie who is a phenomenal cook, and you're great at picking out fantastic Secret Santa gifts, you could propose a trade: "Hey, I'll handle the Secret Santa gifts and wrapping for our work holiday party if you can cook a dish for me to bring."
add to your calendar or planner
Now that I've built my holiday template and reflected on the season, the last step is to add it to my calendar or planner. If you're a paper planner user, this is the perfect reason to go to the store and get your pretty planner for next year. If you're a digital planner like me, you're in luck because you can plan out the next five years of holiday activities—at least tentatively. Once I've put these activities into my calendar, I make them recurring events so they show up every single year. This method allows me to think about things like beating the holiday shipping rush and planning to buy gifts during other holiday sales rather than dealing with Black Friday stress.
For those who send out family photos, planning early means you can book the photo session in advance, ensuring you're not scrambling at the last minute. And you can even create templates for your holiday cards, complete with pre-printed and stamped envelopes ready to go.
In my previous blog, I shared how I turned my calendar into my personal assistant. If you've already done that, adding your holiday season template to your calendar will be brief. If not, check out that blog here.
And that's it! That's how I prepare myself for next holiday season, starting this year. You can and will have a stress-free holiday season next year, and you can even implement this technique this year. I appreciate you trusting me to be your go-to source for productivity and well-being during the holidays.
To get the most out of the techniques I've shared in this series, I've created templates and guides exclusively for my free community on Facebook. Click the link here to join, and I'll see you there.
Here's to a happier, calmer, stronger holiday season!