Ah, the
upcoming Holiday Season--starting with Thanksgiving and ramping up
through Christmas, with no let-up until the beginning of the year. For those
who are already tired from a year’s worth of work, kids, parents, chores, and
everything else, the Holiday Season, despite the many joys it may bring, can
feel simply exhausting. Overwhelming. Cringe-worthy.
But what’s
a body to do? Pull the covers over your head and hide in bed for the next two months?
Probably not a good idea, given your family obligations, relatives coming to
visit, expectations at work, and so on.
There is
another way. Two, actually.
1. Just Say
“No.”
You’re
appalled. How dare I suggest such a thing when people are counting on you?
Who’s going to bake all those cookies for the school holiday party? And the
Thanksgiving turkey? You don’t trust your partner to do it properly, look at
how they overcooked the last one. Plus, you’ll no doubt be asked to join the holiday
choir (like last year), organize the holiday potluck at work, and probably play
Secret Santa as well.
Saying
“No” is all about how you say it. When you say, “No, thank you, but I
appreciate your asking,” it’s hard for the asker to get upset with you. They
may not like the answer, but you were so polite and straightforward that they
realized they could do nothing about it. Then be ready with an easy, equally
straightforward reason (if requested) for your “No,” such as “I need to focus
on other priorities for now.” Most people will be reluctant to press further,
but if they do, a vague “family matters” or such will suffice.
2.
Delegate. How? To Whom?
One of the
easiest ways to delegate over the holidays is to enroll the help of your local
grocery store. I kid you not. Pre-cooked turkeys, already-baked cookies, and
all sorts of other holiday goodies are readily available. You just need to get
over your “I have to do it all myself” or your belief that only you can cook a
turkey/bake cookies properly.
For other
matters, delegate by asking for help. Yes, it’s OK not to be perfect, not to be
Wonder-Human, and to need assistance. If you ask with “please” and “thank you”
in your request, you’d be surprised at how nicely people will generally
respond. Will the person do whatever you’ve asked exactly as you would?
Probably not. Will it still be good enough? Probably yes.
Give
yourself a break this Holiday Season. Saying “no” and delegating will go a
long way toward easing your end-of-year exhaustion.
