It’s that crazy time of the year when every function, catch-up, coffee, lunch, dinner and drink seems to crawl out from under a rock and demand that you give it some attention.

Almost everyone around me is already exhausted, and the added pressure of all those extra things at this time of the year can easily tip the delicately balanced scales over the edge.

I notice this going on around me because it is how I used to live. When I stop and think about why I used to live this way, I can bring it back to one thing: the need to keep everyone around me happy.

If you’re struggling with an overload of additional activities and you feel like you need a bit of respite from your life, then here’s a few tips that might help to keep you sane in this very demanding time of the year:

  1. Know what your values are. Once you know then, allocate your time to the activities and people that are aligned with your values … and say ‘no’ to the others – that way you know that the activities you add into your day will be ones that will be supporting your energy, not draining from it.
  2. Spread the load. There’s no rule set anywhere that says that every catch-up must be held in December each year. So, put off some of those ‘catch-ups’ until the New Year, when you’ll be able to relax and enjoy them more.
  3. Have the confidence to say ‘no’. It’s perfectly OK if you can’t fit a function in. Saying ‘no’ is sometimes the best thing you can do; it allows you the time you need to do the normal things in your life without completely exhausting yourself by overloading your system.
  4. Be kind to yourself. If there’s something you feel you need to go to, then go along … but don’t think twice about leaving early. Burning the candle at both ends will only make it harder to get through all the other things you have to do.
  5. Be prepared. Not only is this time of year full of extra activities, it’s also usually full of extra food and drink. It’s really important that you make sure you support yourself with quality, nourishing food and drink during this time. Spend a little bit of time now so that you are ahead of the game for those times when you’re exhausted and can’t be bothered looking after yourself. You’ll thank yourself later if you get organised now.

Try one or two of these things and see the difference it makes in your life. Remember, you are a human being with free will and you can choose how, when, where and with whom you spend your time.

Make your choices wisely and you’ll reach Christmas Day a lot more refreshed than in previous years. Who knows – maybe you will experience the 25th of December differently as well as a result!

Want more info on ways that you can easily implement these steps? There are loads of practical exercises and activities for living and thinking differently in my book ‘Keep It Super Simple’ – you can buy a copy from www.sheiqlife.com/shop.

Want to chat? Email me on info@sheiqlife.com or call me on +61 438 624 868 and we’ll set up a time!

Bronwen Sciortino is a Simplicity Expert, Professional Speaker and the author of ‘Keep It Super Simple – Tips from a Recovering Perfectionist’. Join the conversation by subscribing to the tribe at www.sheiqlife.com; Facebook, Instagram, or LinkedIn.

This article was first published on www.mywellbeingmagazine.com on 29/11/2017