How to be merry and bright

I love the holiday season but it’s not exactly the most relaxing time of the year. This is especially true for folks who largely direct their families’ schedules and celebrations. In my case, even if I took on nothing else, there would still be five children to shop for, and several holiday concerts to attend, in addition to all the usual activities.?

I am not immune to holiday stress. But thanks to the nine time management rules I write about in?Tranquility by Tuesday , my most recent book, I do have some strategies that help me feel more tranquil. In particular, during challenging times, I find the first three foundational habits really do help calm the chaos.?

When I give myself a bedtime (Rule #1) I generally wake well-rested enough to handle each day’s responsibilities. While it might be tempting to stay up late to get ahead on the online shopping, this is going to result in my feeling none-too-festive in the morning. It’s just not worth it.?

When I plan on Fridays (Rule #2) I start each week with a good sense of what needs to happen, and where potential problems might arise. That doesn’t mean that unanticipated problems won’t appear, but at least the obvious ones can be dealt with.?

When I move by 3 p.m. (Rule #3) I give my days a reset button. Physical activity is a known mood booster. So is fresh air. Combining the two with a walk outside during those few precious hours of light on near-the-solstice days makes the rest of life feel more doable.?

These aren’t complicated rules, but they work. When the 150 people in my?Tranquility by Tuesday?project tried these and the other rules out for nine weeks, their overall time satisfaction scores rose considerably. The proportion who felt like they had adequate energy rose, as did the the proportion who felt they were making progress on their personal and professional goals.

When we feel energized, and like we’re making progress, it’s easier to be merry and bright. A few good habits won’t get the shopping done or score tickets to the nearly-sold-out breakfast with Santa. But we’ll feel better while doing those things, and that can be enough to enjoy some holiday cheer.?

In other news:?Have you seen my?Tranquility by Tuesday?In Real Life video series ?yet? Recently I’ve released four videos showing how real people found more tranquility by following some of my favorite time management rules. Watch with these links below:

• Elisa Ung shares how “Rule #7: Take one night for you” encouraged her to start attending Wednesday matinees.
• Rachana Shah shares how “Rule #6: One big adventure, one little adventure” helped her make memories with her family.
• Rachel Scarpato shares how “Rule #2: Plan on Fridays” made her a more effective leader and let her make time for fun.
• Gillian Goddard shares how “Rule #9: Effortful before effortless” led her to read more and do some fantastic puzzles with her kids.

This article originally appeared in an email to my newsletter subscribers. You can sign up at https://lauravanderkam.com/contact/ .