Welcome, friends! I hope you’re doing well and enjoying some beautiful weather like we are here in coastal South Carolina.
Are you even ready to acknowledge that October arrives on Friday? It’s one of my favorite months of the year, probably because it feels the most “fall-ish” to me. The temperatures are fairly moderate and while we don’t get much fall color on the trees around here, whatever we do get hits this month.
We also know we’re heading into one of the busiest times of the year. It seems like I blink and we go from October 1st to January 2nd. It’s crazy, but a good crazy!
How do you handle a busy season in life? Yes, this can mean the holidays. But there are plenty of other occasions that send us into overdrive. How about moving? Planning a wedding? Having a baby? All of these fill our days with tasks and events that are outside of our normal routine.
Most of the time (but not always), we get a little bit of notice that a busy season is coming. That’s great because it gives us an opportunity to think ahead about how we want things to look. We can at least lay out a plan for how we hope those days will go. It’s easier to be intentional and strategize when we’re not quite in the thick of it yet!
Today let’s look at ten tips that can help us plan ahead when we see one of those busy life seasons on the horizon.
1. Determine how you’re going to keep God at the center of it all.
Don’t let the busyness crowd out your daily time with Him. Whether it’s part of your morning or evening routine, guard that time. Be faithful in attending church. Listen to good Chrisitan music and podcasts while you’re running all those errands, wrapping gifts, or packing boxes.
2. Align your expectations with reality.
Simplify. If it’s the holidays we’re talking about, that could include the gift-giving, the shopping, the baking, the decorating, all of it. Whatever the situation, figure out what you can actually accomplish in a certain time period and be good with that.
3. Plan now for three specific things you want to happen.
Buy the tickets for the Christmas concert. Put the date on your calendar when you need to order the parts of the Thanksgiving meal you don’t want to make. Plan the pre-wedding mother/daughter shopping trip. Choose the three most meaningful things for this season and schedule them now.
4. Take into consideration what those around you will want or need.
Is it a busy time at work for your husband? Do you have family members that need accommodations? Take time beforehand to think through how the other people who are part of this season will be involved.
5. Tell others what you need.
Ask someone to bake the Christmas cookies. If a friend volunteers to help with your move, give them a specific task to do. Often your family is willing to help if you’ll just let them know what to do. Communicate clearly what you’re going to need during this hectic time.
6. Embrace spontaneity.
This isn’t me. I’m good with the planning and then all I want to do is stay on task. But if our girls come in while I’m in the middle of a project and want to run to Crumbl, I hope I’ll jump in the car and go.
7. Go to bed.
In other words, get sleep. The more rested you can be before and during the busy season, the better you’ll be able to move through it.
8. Set small goals.
I love to-do lists. But I tend to make them much longer than I can realistically accomplish in one day! Set a few daily or weekly goals of tasks that need to be done and enjoy that feeling of accomplishment when you cross them off your list!
9. Let the little stuff go.
When life is busy, focus on the most important things. If the laundry piles up or it’s cereal for supper, it’s okay. This is temporary.
10. Pray.
The list of what we can’t control in any season is long…the weather, the mail (recent personal experience), someone getting sick, etc. But God IS in control. Ask for His wisdom and guidance for your plans and for the strength to accomplish what needs to be done in the moment.
I’m sure that some of you have survived more busy life seasons than I have! Let us know in the comments below any tips that have helped you during those times.
Related posts:
- 7 Helpful Tips for Navigating a Season of Change
- 12 Things I’m Glad I Did as a Mom
- A Time and a Season for Every Thing
These are some great tips! I already follow most of them, but I often forget to keep God at the center of it all. And I’m not good at being flexible. 🙂
Ha ha – you and me both on struggling to be flexible!
Managing expectations is the #1 key for me for sure!!! (And I have GOT to try Crumbl – we have one right by our house, and I’ve never gone, but everyone raves! :-D)
It’s a good thing our Crumbl isn’t that close to my house!! 🙂 My favorite has been the Coconut Lime and of course, I’m all about any kind of chocolate/peanut butter combination they do.