Out of Chaos an organizing newsletter
Holiday Habits
It’s the holidays and everyone is busy. When it gets hectic, you tend to focus on the things that are making you busy and let other things slide. It seems like prioritizing: “I’ll get back to exercise after these applications are in.” “I’ll clear up the living room after this big project.” But you know how that goes. You end up with months of piled up papers, unused gym memberships and the feeling that it’s too overwhelming to deal with the clutter and you’re too out of shape to go back to the gym.
I love a project, a holiday—just business in general. But as I’ve gotten older, I realize that there has to be balance. Newness is great, but so is routine. The holidays are great for novelty, parties with new friends, shopping at a new stores or maybe even vacationing in a new spot.
This year, raise the bar and see if you can have enjoy some novelty and maintain your habits too. If you’re going to miss Pilates two weeks in a row, why not fit in some paddle-boarding during your vacation instead of laying on the beach all day? And go ahead and enjoy after-work drinks with your coworkers, but don’t neglect opening and sorting the mail when you get home. It doesn’t become a big deal if you do it every night.
When I was pregnant, I heard an exercise guru say, “If you just keep doing what you always do while you are pregnant, afterwards you’ll be in great shape because you were gradually increasing the weight you were carrying every day for nine months.” I think the holidays are like that: If you can get your shopping done, go to parties, send cards and maintain your regular habits, come January you’re going to feel like you have so much free time. Who knows—maybe 2019 will be the year you write that novel!