Ep 308: Time Blocking for the Holidays

Hi Friends,

Before we get started into today’s episode, we would like to thank our sponsor, Denise Albright for sponsoring this episode. Check out her entire catalog of products, including her gratitude journal and take advantage of a special offer exclusive for TOL listeners.  Use code SBGIFTS and receive  25% off your order.

We’d also love for you to check out the new look of our website. There you will find links to past episodes, tons of free resources and downloadable checklists, plus you can easily connect with our trusted SBO Professional Organizers in a variety of cities across the US and Mexico. Now more than ever we are here to help you in your decluttering journey!

Now for today’s episode, I know that the time between Halloween and New Years can be stressful and overwhelming.  Those 60 days seem to happen overnight, leaving you feeling like there is never enough time to get it all done.

Today we are talking about all of it:

• The feeling of drinking from firehose
• Increased mental load
• Maxed out Budgets 
• The rise in Calendar Clutter on top of Physical Clutter

Forget about your regular list of TO-DO items, and heaven forbid you throw a birthday in the mix to add to your already overflowing plate. (thanks Josh for being born on Dec 17th!) 
All of this can easily lead to a spectrum of emotions, spanning from snippiness to a complete mental shut down.  So today we are here to give you some actionable steps, spread some grace, and share some words of encouragement during this time. I will walk you through exactly what I do on a daily basis to help prioritize the important from the urgent.

By getting in the practice of doing this everyday, you will begin to:

• Make decisions based on intention rather than by default. 
• Recognize that some tasks take longer than expected while others can be completed quickly.
• Set realistic expectations on what you can and cannot accomplish in a day
• Learn the natural rhythms of your personal peak productivity time and when you need to recharge
• Learn to say “no,” or “not now” based on the facts rather than feelings 

I have been Time Blocking for years and last year I started my Top 3 List which has been a game changer. It forces me to prioritize what I need to do versus what I want to do. 

As you embark on this fun, yet stressful time of year, I hope you can take a moment to exhale and enjoy the ride. Show yourself grace, give yourself permission to pause, and recognize that Superwoman is a fictional character. 

You’ve got this, and I am here to help you every step of the way.

XO

-Laurie

P.S. You can listen to the full episode wherever you get your podcasts and watch us on YouTube.