Now that we’re back from the holidays, I felt like this is a super fitting post that’s very relevant to where I am mentally these days!
I’m going to keep it short and sweet this week!
Reentry after the holidays or really any large event or project we’ve been working towards has been difficult and proves to be more so each year.
This year especially threw us for a loop with our move in early October and so many projects to complete right off the bat leading into the holidays.
Honestly, I feel like this is the first time I’ve been able to slow down and “take stock” of where we are and where we’re headed. Food wise, school wise, work wise, finance wise. Everything really!
Here are some quick helpful steps I’ve focused on and found helpful while working towards getting things back on track after the hustle and bustle of holidays!
1. Start Slow
Start by taking baby steps.
I know you’ve heard it said that Rome wasn’t built in a day. This one is always hard for me. I usually want to hit the ground running and fix every single facet of life.
This of course is just not possible and usually sets me up for failure and disappointment. Having a mindset of taking things slowly as we reenter normalcy is so helpful!
I mean who says that your whole life needs to change starting January 1st!? Too much too fast usually leads to feeling overwhelmed and eventually burn out.
So in the words of John Legend, “take it slow.”
2. Start Small
Going along with my last point, to start slow you must start small. Small changes over time can turn into big changes!
For example, I’ve been feeling like our sleep schedules got completely off set during the holidays.
Rather than saying I’m going to wake up an hour and a half earlier to get the day rolling, I’ve been setting the alarm earlier by 5-10 minutes for several days and trying to go to bed a few minutes earlier each night.
It’s a small change that in a few weeks will make a big difference.
It’s very important to give your body and your mind time to adjust to habit and lifestyle changes.
3. Make Some Goals
Reentry can seem overwhelming and feel like so many things need to be changed and adjusted.
Start by making a list of ALL the things that are bothering you. It may seem overwhelming to look at it all but I promise it will help to have it out on paper rather than swirling around in your head. This way you can plan out when to tackle each item and prioritize.
Take your time with this list. Even if it’s a few days or even a week! Once again, who says all diets, new budgets, or new routines have to change by January 1st?!
Give it some time and really think about all the things you’ve been wanting to get done or adjust.
What room or closet do you want to get organized in your home? What house project have you been working towards? What workout routine did you want to start implementing? What routine with the kids have you been wanting to try?
Think about it all and get it down on paper.
4. Choose a Few
Once your goals are listed out, you can choose which items you feel like you can tackle each day. This even goes for getting your diet back in a healthy groove after the holidays.
Like I’ve said before, I feel like I have to do it all in one day. But I have found that in the long run that’s too difficult for me.
Take a day to plan some meal ideas. Take a day to clean out junky food and old holiday leftovers and cookies so there’s room for healthier snacks and meals.
Take another day to stock up on healthy meals and lastly choose which day you’re going to start!
Once again, this mindset has REALLY helped me not to feel overwhelmed with changing things all in one day. If my mind is not wrapped around a goal or plan, I find I’m rarely successful at completing it.
5. Plan the Day Ahead
I’ve said this in my other posts on organization (Staying Organized as a Busy Mom, Personal Time Management ) but I’m truly most productive when I plan my day before it begins.
Even down to the hour or even half hour. This way I know when I’m aiming to accomplish specific things and I’m not just wandering aimlessly trying to decide which task on my list I feel like doing next.
Of course, this isn’t a hard and fast schedule for myself. But it gives me windows of time to aim for. Certain things take longer than I thought they would and others are faster than expected.
And there are days I plan a bunch of productive things, and the kids really need me so the day’s plan changes.
Regardless of how well the “plan” goes, I’m glad at the end of the day I had a plan at all because I generally accomplish more with it than without.
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Have you been able to slow down and use these techniques during after stressful seasons? Do you have anything to add? I’d love to hear from you! Shoot me an email! Be sure to subscribe below so you don’t miss a thing as well as follow me on Instagram and Pinterest!