The One Priority You Should Be Focusing On

We’re part way through December and the holiday season is truly upon us, all the store fronts are decorated, the malls are pumping Christmas music and Hanukkah begins tomorrow! The thing about December is that it’s easy to get overwhelmed, to commit to too many social engagements or get too many presents for people you don’t really know that well!

As you know I’m a big fan of essentialism and I’ll be treating this holiday season exactly the same. My recommendation would be to think of the one thing you want to do before January (I know, really just one thing!) and put all your focus into that.

You don’t have to forget about everything else, but keep your number one priority in mind. Here are some example priorities and how to make the most out of them:

To spend more time with family – Holidays are meant to be about family, but we can sometimes end up spending more time making awkward small talk with your cousin’s neighbor  than  with your actual family. Politely decline invitations from the people you don’t really need to see and instead make a plan to hang out with your kids or your parents – even if it’s just staying on the sofa and watching Christmas movies.

To feel the festive spirit – If you want to go all out on festive cheer this year that’s great. Make a list of all the events happening in your local area, like Christmas markets or street parties. Ask people for recommendations and the pick your top two. Try to see it as going for quality over quantity so you don’t get burnt out or over do it on food and drink!

To make a difference – The holiday season can be a struggle for many families and there is always a need for more helpers. Check out the volunteering opportunities or get involved in the many programs sending Christmas boxes to children in need. Help can sometimes be needed even closer to home, if you have a friend or family member whose had a particularly tough year brainstorm ideas on how to get them something they really need instead of another fad present. It doesn’t have to be anything fancy, just something you know might lift their spirits.

To get away – Really not feeling the cold dreary weather in December? Fed up of holiday tunes playing on every radio station? Why not go full Grinch and get away from it all. It’s not difficult to find deals on winter sun vacations this time of year. I use a service called Next Vacay so I can stay up to date on the latest deals! Just think how much clamer you’ll be sat on the beach sipping cocktails instead of last minute holiday shopping!