I am sitting here under a blanket, wrapped in scarves, nursing a cold and loving it. Because it has forced me to finally, truly slow down and lean fully into hibernation mode, which is what Winter calls for us to do.

It’s also given me the time to take a step back and get a grip on my Christmas to-do lists, because I don’t know about you, but I was starting to get a liiiittle bit overwhelmed by it all.

Just SO many to-do lists, on top of social events, on top of Christmas presents, on top of wrapping things up before the holidays…

So I pulled out my trusty Burnt Out book and reminded myself of the tools that help you to get out of overwhelm and feeling back in control before you can say ‘mince pie’!

And so I used the tools on myself today and wow, what a flipping difference it made!

So I wanted to share them with you so that you can use them too if you need them!

You can also watch these tips as a video on instagram here​

STEP 1: WRITE IT DOWN

Write down EVERYTHING you need to do before Christmas. Get it all out of your head and onto the page. Every last item on your to-do list.

The number one reason we get overwhelmed, when we have a lot on, is that we try to use our brains to store and keep on top of all the to-do lists. BIG MISTAKE. Our brains aren’t efficient at doing this and trying to do it is what spins us out.

So stop the spinning by putting down every last one of your things to do before Christmas down on the page.

STEP 2: SCHEDULE IT IN

Block out time into your calendar when you’re going to get all those to-dos done: the Christmas shopping, the present wrapping, the food shop, the decorating, buying the decorations…all of it. Schedule time for everything into your calendar so that you can that it IS all going to get done.

Otherwise your brain is going to keep telling you that everything needs to be done NOW. And underlying that will be a fear that nothing will get done in time and you’ll arrive at Christmas day without any food to eat or any gifts to give and it will all be a huge disaster.

By clearly blocking out the time in your calendar, you will see exactly when it is all going to get done and you can breathe a sigh of relief and give yourself permission to chill the hell out.

Talking of which, I’m adding in a final step:

Christmas is a time when over-givers and people-pleasers seem to completely forget about themselves, more than ever. So, just in case that sounds like you, please don’t do that to yourself this Christmas. While you schedule time in for buying presents, catching up with friends and aaall of the other things, make sure you also schedule in time to do the things that fill up your cup – whether that’s having a candlelit bath, snuggling under a blanket to watch your favourite films, early nights or getting out to enjoy Christmas activities – don’t forget to fill this Christmas with things you want to do and not just things you feel you should do.

That is how you will beat overwhelm and actually enjoy this Christmas season.

STEP 3: MAKE TIME FOR YOU

Christmas is a time when over-givers and people-pleasers seem to completely forget about themselves, more than ever. So, just in case that sounds like you, please don’t do that to yourself this Christmas. While you schedule time in for buying presents, catching up with friends and aaall of the other things, make sure you also schedule in time to do the things that fill up your cup – whether that’s having a candlelit bath, snuggling under a blanket to watch your favourite films, early nights or getting out to enjoy Christmas activities – don’t forget to fill this Christmas with things you want to do and not just things you feel you should do. 

Follow these steps and hopefully by the time you get to Christmas, you won’t be feeling overwhelmed, frazzled and irritable, but instead will feel excited for the festivities ahead!

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