Surviving the Silly Season
There are two types of people in this world: those who count down to Christmas, and those who can’t wait till it’s over. Whether you’re a lover or a hater, there’s no denying that December is a busy time of year - a time when our writing goals can easily fall by the wayside.
Here are my top tips for surviving the silly season this year:
1. Just say no. December is all about extra social events, extra shopping and extra responsibility. Think about this: every time you say yes to someone else, you’re saying no to yourself and your own goals. You’re putting that event ahead of your own writing goals.
Let me say that again: every time you say yes to someone else, you’re saying no to you. Every Christmas party you’re on the fence about. Every dinner you’re not completely invested in. Every trip down to the shops just for milk, but while you’re there, you grab a few extra things. You’re saying yes to that and saying no to you.
Put your writing goals first this silly season. Say ‘yes’ to you and ‘no’ to those things you’re doing but don’t really want to be doing. But ...
2. Adjust your goals to suit the season. This one is even more important than saying ‘yes’ to your goals and yourself. Work out how much time you really have this month - and I mean really. Not best-case scenario, not working at full capacity - how much time do you have? Now, subtract one or two full days’ work from that, to allow for things that will come up - because believe me, they’ll come up. The leftover time is available for you to complete your goals in. If there’s not enough time, you need to reassess. Don’t set yourself up to fail. You have the power to make your dreams achievable.
3. Be kind to yourself. Some people don’t love Christmas. However, if you’re like me, it’s one of your most favourite times of the year! I love getting together with family and friends. I love the long summer days and swimming and spending time in the beautiful parks and beaches near my home. I make time for these things - put them in my schedule - because even though they won’t help me directly achieve my goals, these things are important to me as a person, and it’s important to be kind to yourself. It’s important to give yourself the gift of time when you most need it, especially during this time of year.
What about you? What tips do you have for surviving the silly season?