Sometimes we participate in a holiday activity because “it’s tradition.” When is the last time you checked in with the family to be sure they all still enjoy the tradition? Kids grow up and family members’ and friends’ preferences change.

Earlier we offered ideas on how to break down holiday tasks into their smallest components. Now it’s time to take a closer look at what’s on the “love” list vs. the “meh” list, and make some task assignments!

Have a family discussion and ask what activities your family truly enjoys. Everyone will have individual preferences of course, but you’ll probably find a great deal of overlap, and that overlap is the “LOVE” list.  Maybe you hate to bake but your sister loves it – delegate! You can swap activities with your sister. Perhaps you absolutely love to decorate, but your kids think it’s a chore. Find a willing helper! Dreading that special holiday meal? Delegate preparation of some items to other family members – it’s not all on you!

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Be sure to use your “smallest step” list so you don’t lose track of anything.

Continue to delegate tasks so that each person is managing a part of the process that they most enjoy, and that way everyone is happy!

In my book, “Ho HO NO!!! Tips for an Organized and Stress-Free Holiday Season,” I provide some of my favorite tips when delegating . . .

  • Adjust your expectations.  It is quite possible that no one can do the job exactly like you.  That doesn’t mean it’s a “bad job.”  The goal is to get some tasks off your plate – let go a bit on how the results look.  They may surprise you (in a good way)!
  • Ask!  Many times people want to help (even if they don’t realize it yet)!  Give them the opportunity.  Spouse, kids, neighbors, teens, grandkids are just a few ideas.  Get creative – you can find help . . . you may just need to look at the challenge through new eyes.
  • Hire a professional (or aspiring professional).   Sometimes nothing beats hiring a professional cleaning service to get your home ready before out-of-town guests arrive.
  • Clearly communicate your expectations and timeframe.  It can certainly be frustrating to delegate a task, and then have the person on the other end drop the ball!  Check back periodically (NOTE:  I’m not advocating micromanaging!) to make sure the project is moving forward.
  • Make a list of dates to check in on tasks you delegated, to be sure things are on track as you would expect them to be.

Now is the time to examine all the tasks, activities and goals that make up the holiday season for you. A wealth of ideas and tried-and-true tips are in my book “Ho HO NO!!! Tips for an Organized and Stress-Free Holiday Season.

If you’re an Amazon Kindle Unlimited subscriber you can download the book for free! If you’re not, it’s only $2.99 – and it will help you create a new way of experiencing the holiday season: organized, stress-free, and no longer bogged down!

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