7 Time Management Hacks for the Holidays

With the holidays coming upon us at a rapid pace, things can get extra hectic with the amount of stuff you have to do. It is extremely important to make the best use of the time you have. Still, it may seem like you don’t have enough hours in the day to take care of all the many things you need to do. Here are 7 of our tried-and-true time management hacks that can help you make the most out of your precious time.

1.The Kitchen Timer Hack

You may remember this handy little guy from all your favorite recipes. However, this wonderful little device can help you make incredible strides in time management. If you allot just one hour to a task, but don’t keep your eyes on the clock, that one hour task has a funny way of turning into a two hour task. Be careful and set the timer at the halfway mark to remind yourself that half the time has expired, then reset it for the second half.

2. Make a list and Check it Twice

First make a list of all the things you have to get done for the day. Once you have that list, make sure you prioritize. Studies show that the morning times are best for difficult tasks that require the most amount of focus. So get you to-do list in gear by making sure you have your tasks organized in the proper way.

3. Physical Activity

Don’t skip out on your dose of physical activity. This is one of the most often overlooked time management hacks in existence. It can be really tempting to ditch your workout because you’re so caught up with other things to do. There is a big problem with that though. Just focusing on all of the things that require mental activity can tire you out quickly. This is especially true if you are sitting down for long periods. Do yourself a favor and start your day off right with a quick but not too intense workout. It will pay time saving dividends later on in the day.

4. Make stations

Are you going to be doing one thing over and over again? If you have to repeat a task, sometimes is pays to set up stations. One of our favorite ideas is the gift-wrapping station. This helps keep all of the things you need in one place. (It’s especially useful for those notoriously hard to find items like ribbon, tape, and bows). Believe it or not, it could end up saving you a lot more time than you think!

5. Plan your time with your kids accordingly

Kids aren’t likely to follow the routines you set for yourself, so make sure that you set boundaries early. If they know that you mean business because it’s a stressful time, they’ll oblige (even if it’s begrudgingly so).

6. Label Your Serving Ware

If you are getting ready to plan a party then you are going to need some help. You can make sure things go smoothly and efficiently if you label the role and purpose of each dish and bowl, etc. This will end up saving you a lot of time having to explain to others exactly what goes where. This time management hack will make any party planning a much better and less stressful experience!

7. Breath

Okay maybe that’s an obvious one, but sometimes it’s harder to remember doing that in the heat of the moment. If you are really stressing out, it’s smart to remember to breathe deeply for a few minutes or so. You’d be surprised how much this overstated, but underused tactic works out. Use it to center yourself again, and you’ll be well on your way!

Image Credit: wellness.wellcall.com