Does your daily to do list look like this?

It’s day 7 of 31 Days of Healthy Ways to Enjoy the Holidays More and today’s tip is to be okay with doing less!  We’re all overbooked, over-stressed, over-stimulated and overwhelmed!  Everyone has the urge to do more no matter what is already on their plate.  I’m urging you start doing less, and be okay with it.

There are so many ways you can interpret this.  Choosing to do a yankee swap instead of buying for everyone you know.  Ditching your regular 200 person handwritten Holiday card list for a one stop shop New Years Letter.  Deciding to stay in on Friday night and read a book instead of going to that work party.  Using gift bags instead of wrapping each gift.

Sit down and make a list of everything you need, want or should do this holiday season.  Do you feel overwhelmed by all that’s on it?  If you do, you need to prioritize that list and let some things go.

What are the absolute “must be dones” or attended to things on your list?  Rank them in order of importance.  Ditch the least important ones.

What are your favorite things on the list? What are you looking forward to?  Rank them in order of how much joy they give you or how much joy they give others.  And keep them all!  We deserve to receive and give joy this time of year.

What are the things on your list that you are dreading? What do you find yourself putting off?  Don’t even rank this last list.  Unless one of these items is visiting your 98 year old Grandma on Christmas week or delivering a sleighfull of toys to children all over the globe on Christmas Eve, you can just ditch them all and feel ok about it.  If Grandma or sleighs are on your list, you need to suck it up for the greater good.  Sorry.

Is there anything that didn’t make it on to one of those three lists?  Go with your gut on these.  Will you miss doing one of them?  Will your kids?  Is it financially or emotionally possible for you to do it?  Trust your gut.  It won’t lead you astray.

What will you do with the free time you’ve just given yourself?  How much better do you feel with a little less on your plate? By giving yourself permission to do less, you are making room for the things you really care about.  Know that you are in control of creating the life that you want.  Fill it with things that bring you and those around you happiness and joy.