December is like a messy closet. Here's how to get it back on track

It doesn't seem to matter what you celebrate (or even ifyou celebrate);this time of year brings a sort of ambient stress.

There is the feeling that you should be preparing for holidays, finishing up this year's projectsand planning for the new year, all at once, and that can leave you feeling frazzled and overwhelmed.

Those are not joyous feelings, so in an effort to avoid them, I treat December like it'sa messy closet.

I drag every possible task out of my brain and sort it into piles. I throw away some tasks and "donate" others, and then I put the rest of my work and plans on "shelves"(i.e., in my calendar).

Using this approach lets me identify my priorities, create reasonable expectations, and tie all the loose ends of this month into a bow.

If you'd like to see if decluttering your to-do list can give you the same peace of mind, get a few sheets of paper, some coloured pens and a timer. (A snack or a cup of tea wouldn't go astray either.)

Step 1: Drag everything out (a.k.a make a big list)

I like to start by dividing my paper into sections according to types of tasks.

My categories are household, work, volunteer, personal, errands, and phone calls, but you should divide your paper into categories that are meaningful for you.

Set the timer for 20 minutes, maximum, and start writing down the tasks that are floating around in your brain.

Put each task under the appropriate category so you can see how much time and how much mental space you will need for each category.

Don't get discouraged if you have an enormous list.

In the next steps, we make decisions and plans to get that list tidied away nicely.

Step 2: Donate and discard

When I have dragged everything out of a closet and sorted it into piles, the first thing I do is to deal with the things I have to throw out or to donate. The same holds true for this project.

Have a look at each item on your list and ask yourself a few questions:

• Do I still want to do this?
  
• Does it still need to be done?
  
• Does it have to be done by me?

If you have items that are actually someone else's job or can be done by someone else, write them on a separate list and cross them off of yours. You can "donate" those tasks to them after you are finished this process.

If you discover that you no longer care about a task that has been lurking and it doesn't need to be done, you can just cross it off.

Step 3: Long-term storage

Usually, when I am decluttering a closet or a room, I find some items that I want to keep but I don't need to have them close at hand.

I often find the same thing when I make a big list like the one we're making here. There are almost always ideas and tasks that I would like to do at some point, but that don't really need to be done now.

This is a good time to make decisions about which projects really need to be completed by the end of the year.

If they really need to be done by the end of the year, leave them on the list. If they just need to be done sometime, schedule them for a specific time in the future on your calendar.

If there are physical materials related to the project, put them in a box and date it. Note the location of the box in your calendar entry.

This frees you from having to think about that task before it needs to be done.

This is also a good time to consider how many of those "make a perfect holiday!" tasks have snuck their way on to your list. Have a close look at which ones you really want or need to do and add the rest to your calendar for consideration next year.

Step 4: Put everything back on the shelves (i.e., schedule those tasks!)

Now that you've discarded, donated and stored all those tasks, it's time to move on to the rest of the things on your list. Hopefully, what's left are the things that you actually need and want to do.

Look at your schedule for the next few weeks and see where you have time to work on the things on your list.

Block out some times for each category of tasks (obviously you'll want more times for the categories with the most items in it) and schedule your specific tasks within those time blocks.

Scheduling blocks gives you the advantage of knowing what type of work you will be doing at a given time.

Scheduling the individual tasks gives you the ability to focus on one thing at a time. If you have a specific time set aside for all the important things, you don't have to worry about when they are getting done and you'll be able to concentrate on the task at hand.

Step 5: Adjust your expectations

Now that you have scheduled all of the tasks that you need and want to do, it's time to adjust your expectations about how well each task can get done.

Since there is no way to do everything perfectly, I recommend deciding in advance what is "good enough" for each task and stopping when you reach it.

Perhaps you won't write a masterpiece (this time! ha!), or perhaps you won't finish sorting all the papers, or all of your cookies won't be decorated (or you'll make fewer kinds).

When deciding on your "good enough," be sure to take into account the amount of time you have for the task. If it must be done in two hours, you will have to scale back from the 10-hour version that is in your head. Having a realistic sense of what you can complete in the time available will help you to be kinder to yourself in the process.

Step 6: Don't forget to include fun and rest

Holiday wood stove

11 years ago

Duration 7:31

The wood stove at Lesters Farm in St. John's. Happy Holidays from cbc.ca/nl

It may seem a little odd to need a reminder to include them but, when life gets busy, fun and rest are often the first things we sacrifice. When we skip restorative activities, no amount of December decluttering can keep stress and frustration at bay.

So, when you are creating your schedule, don't commit all your time to work tasks.

Make sure to schedule plenty of time to play and to rest, and you'll enjoy your December and start the new year fresh and relaxed.

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