Creating Balance this Holiday Season

Heyy Fulfilled Femme,

Happy Tuesday! It's time for a NEW blog post.

With the holidays underway, it's always an interesting time to balance holiday celebrations, and staying aligned and focused on our goals.

There is this strong desire to create beautiful memories with loved ones and also wrap up the year's tasks for life and business.

It is such a balancing act navigating the two without feeling overwhelmed, overtired, and burning the candle at both ends.

Can you relate?

I am excited to share some tips today to help you create balance so you can enjoy your holiday season AND check off items off your to-do list.

Here's how I create balance in the holiday season.

1) Be intentional with goal setting.

To avoid feeling guilty about not achieving unrealistic goals, set ones in alignment with what your existing plans are for this season.

Sometimes we bite off more than we can chew so it's important not to overcommit in work and with loved ones.

It can be super difficult being a high achiever and prioritizing family. That's why checking in with yourself to see what are your existing commitments and how many intentions you are actually achieving is important.

Give yourself permission to set boundaries when it comes to your commitments is key this time of year.

For example, if you know you have lots of obligations with the kids, maybe take on a few less 1-on-1 clients in your business to help you achieve a balance.

For myself, this holiday season, I have chosen to take a few 1-on-1 clients in longer time commitments to allow for more balance in my workload.

To cultivate awareness and be super intentional with your to-dos ask yourself....

What is the item of highest priority right now?

What can wait for the new year?

Are there any of these tasks I can ask someone for support with?

What is a now, next later goal?

Know it's okay to move tasks to the new year if it's for your well-being and asking for support is a huge part of being intentional with your goal setting.

2) Be intentional with your time.

Your daily schedule may look different with all the summer commitments. Give yourself permission to think outside the box with scheduling and time-block accordingly. This may also mean having a few longer workdays to allow for a few continuous days off.

For example, for writing this blog, I am writing this blog on a Saturday morning before I have a family outing. I don't usually work on weekends. This week has been full of getting ahead for the holidays and this was the last task on my list. I got creative with my time to ensure this blog was ready for you all.

Another example is I have batched all my guest episodes for The Fulfilled Female Entrepreneur podcast for the holidays ahead of time so it was one less item to schedule over the next couple of months. It also helps with my guests in mind and their busy holiday schedules. You are welcome to listen to the podcast here!

Ask yourself...

When do I have time to get ahead on tasks?

Are there any timely commitments or family gatherings during "work hours" that I will need to be creative with business time?

Do I feel most energized and productive... morning afternoon or night? When can I add in some timeblocks to ensure my tasks are complete?

3) Be intentional with what you commit to.

When we commit to something work or personal related we give our word. Our word is law. If we don't keep our word, it affects our relationship with ourselves and others. I take time to contemplate commitments even if that means getting back to someone to ensure personal integrity.

This causes boundaries to be in place. It's okay to say no.

For example, if I am being persuaded by my friends and family to spend time when I've already set business commitments I fulfill my business commitments and the same goes for vise versa. On Monday night, I came home from a walk with my sister early to ensure I was on time for my live video in my Facebook group. I was present for both and that felt good.

Being present and not multitasking ensures maximum focus and intentionality when fulfilling commitments. That may mean putting your phone on Do Not Disturb or letting clients know you aren't available in certain times for "holiday hours"

4) Be intentional with your energy.

Make your self-care and well-being the highest priority. That way you can be at your best and in joy for all the summer has to offer. Connect with yourself and your gut for all the decisions you make throughout the whole holiday season.

For example, doing your holiday shopping and taking an hour for self-care.

If life is especially full and you feel like self-care is taking a back seat, ask yourself... what are some short, sweet, and simple ways you feel most self-love and energy? For example , a 5 min meditation, pet snuggles, going for a walk around the block, doing breathwork, etc.

Prioritize a few minutes in the morning and end of the day to incorporate them into your life. Those few moments can yield so many benefits for you, your loved ones, and clients in your life as a result.

5) Intentionally connect with your goals.

Vision boards, guided visualizations, and reciting our dream days are all great to keep us connected to our visions. That allows us to have our whys on top of our minds. This ignites the passion we need to work unconventional hours to ensure the business is taken care of and the holidays are being enjoyed.

When we are tired and life is full, having that intentional connection can help us have a loving kick in the but to keep going even when we are tired and are not in the mood.

For me, reciting that Day in the Life of my dream day automatically gets me excited and focused on my why of creating a legacy for my loved ones and creating a massive impact with all that I do in my business.

With that being said I hope these tips impacted you in some magical way. Stay tuned for next Tuesday's blog post at 12pm EST. Until then feel free to check out some previous posts here.

Love and Light,

Cassandra