Obligations can be hard to manage…especially during the holidays! Below you’ll find 10 tips for keeping a handle on all your tasks, without forgetting about that all important self-care.

1. Prioritize by Deadline

It’s a well-known trick that establishing deadlines for tasks is a great way to increase your success in getting tasks completed. What’s even more helpful is to then create a list of which tasks have the soonest deadline. 

For example:

1. Do you have items you’re ordering or mailing? Make sure to plan way ahead, and leave ample time for shipping issues.
2. Do you have sessions that need to be used before they expire? Go through your calendar asap, and make sure to schedule out everything you’ve already purchased.

2. Prioritize by importance

There are things we want to do and things we have to do, and sometimes that means getting the boring stuff done before jumping into the more fun holiday activities. This prioritization helps to make sure you don’t succumb to subconscious stress about the chores that still need to be done, and allows you to be fully present (pun intended) with your family and friends. 

3. Know when to say no

Sometimes prioritizing what’s important means knowing when to say, “No.” This includes not overwhelming your calendar with too many plans, and leaving enough room for the things you need to do at home. It also means not canceling prior obligations because something better comes along, even though that is ‘so San Diego.’

4. Include ME time

Speaking of saving your sanity, one of those things you need to leave room for is….you! For many this involves sweating out the stress, and/or setting aside designated times for stretching and relaxation. This is definitely one of the best reasons to use those about-to-expire sessions you paid for.

5. Include a balance to your activities

Good balance is important for keeping the mind and body fresh, and ready to keep going. This includes making sure you’re not overdoing any one thing in your life, including sitting on that couch after a big meal. It also applies to performing your exercises properly, and not rushing through any techniques, as this can lead to injury or worse, putting you out of the next game. We don’t want that!

6. If time is limited…multi-task where you can.

Take advantage of opportunities to combine efforts when you have a lot on your plate. For example:

1. Invite an out-of-town friend to go along with you on your errands for extra quality time
2. Turn one of your favorite hobbies into an opportunity to make small gifts/tokens that you can share with your loved ones.
3. Bring a friend or family member to a workout to bond while still exercising that self care.

7. Acknowledge that if there are 100 items on the to do list that not all of them will get done.

Part of that ‘knowing when to say no’ includes knowing when enough is enough. Often there are things on our list that we build up as a priority in our mind, that really isn’t the best use of our time and energy. So we have to learn that when our list stacks up to an unmanageable size, we need to grant ourselves some forgiveness that we’re just not going to finish it all, and that’s okay!

 8. Streamline and simplify when necessary

Knowing you won’t complete everything is not a license to drop your self-care in favor of something you might ‘rather’ do. So instead try simplifying your life by reducing the amount of time or effort that you invest into each activity.

For example:

1. Don’t abandon your workouts altogether, but rather fit in 30 minutes of activity. Just enough to break a sweat and get that heart pumping. Your mental health will thank you for it.
2. Instead of bringing a croquembouche to that holiday party…simplify to cookies. No one will care if you choose a slightly easier recipe, so you can leave some room for self-care. In fact, you can probably work out while the cookies are baking!

9. Divide and conquer, or buddy up!

Let’s face it, we all get by with a little help from our friends. And sometimes that means learning to delegate tasks, or teaming up with a friend/family member. Because sometimes you need someone to hold you accountable. And sometimes it just takes hiring a professional to help get the job done right.

10. Be prepared to be flexible

While it is important to try to stick to your schedules, we all need to allow some room for flexibility in our lives. Especially during the chaos that is the holidays. Be prepared to twist or stretch your days, just like you twist and stretch for that shot out of the bunker, or getting to that wide angle shot.

Creating systems and strategies for yourself, both in and outside the training space, will afford you the opportunity to push past your comfort level, and build strength. So take a deep breath, have a good stretch, and schedule your next session!