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The holiday season is always filled with so many activities, so you might get overwhelmed if you don’t get your priorities right. Yes, and you have to learn how to artfully say “NO” to some invitations, favors, and requests to avoid the exhaustion that follows saying “yes” when you really didn’t mean it. Basically, we can over-stress ourselves until the tank is empty bringing on illness/sickness.
The truth is that your schedule might be even more full than usual during this holiday. And you would feel like you don’t have enough time to attend to all. Well, you’re not alone here. Many people who have come to me saying, “Dr. Jason Jones, how can I prioritize during the forthcoming holidays because I feel I have too much to do in a short time?” Well, I will show you the best-proven ways to get it right. Just continue reading!
How to Prioritize the Holidays
The best way to prioritize is to do the most important things first. Here is how to go about it:
Firstly, make a list of what you want and need to do daily and weekly during the holidays. Then for each item, decide if you need to:
Delay– Sometimes, you need to put some things off until later to focus on pressing needs. For example, if you have a plan to begin a fitness routine, you can delay that till January because that’s a better period to start an exercise routine than November.
Delete: The truth is that not everything is actually important. You can say “NO” to extra activities, especially if you’re not excited doing them. For example, you might find it boring to prepare a dessert from scratch. So it’s okay to delete that and opt for a store-bought dessert.
Delegate: You’ll wear yourself out if you think you can handle everything. You can handle the most sensitive or robust aspect of tasks and delegate others to your spouse, children, friends, or coworkers.
Do it: Well, if you cannot delay, delete, or delegate, then you just have to do it. This role should comprise of the most important (like paying bills), but exciting stuff (like making those delicious cookies your family enjoy mostly once in a while, say a year)
You’ll notice that I only gave my examples. So you can check your to-do list for the holidays and prioritize them using the guide above.
How to Artfully Say “No” During the Holidays
You will probably get a lot of invitations to gatherings and holiday parties this year. But you need to learn the art of saying “no” to some if you want to protect your physical and mental health. You don’t have to feel “obliged” to attend every event.
So after looking at your events holistically and prioritizing, here’s how to say no to “not-so-important” invitations, favors, and requests:
1. Express Gratitude and Pass quickly
If you have to pass on any invitation, it’s important to show that you appreciate the offer before saying a “no.” However, don’t delay your response, because most time, budgets are dependent on the number of attendees. Don’t let your reply exceed a week.
2. Write a Note but Keep it short
Once you decide you are not going to attend a holiday party, you can write a short note to let the planner know how appreciative you are for the invite. Then wish them a happy holiday, and politely say “no.”
3. Rehearse your Speech for In-person Invites
Sometimes, you may need to rehearse your response in front of a mirror. It works great to help you decline politely with your spoken words. Research shows that the time you spend in preparing to say “no” to an invite will do much to ensure that your host will not be offended by your response.
4. Suggest Alternative Times to Meet
You can suggest other times in January for some meetings that can still be re-scheduled. By then, you’ll have more energy and time to mingle. This way, you’ll show that you care and are interested in spending time with the host.
Other ways you could say “no” artfully include sending a holiday card or responding with a more non-committal response, like “That’s lovely, I will check my schedule and get back to you.”
Maximize your holidays, but ensure you prioritize your activities to know how best to use your time and energy.
