Is it just me or are you starting to get all white knuckled too when you think of how quickly the holidays are approaching?
Even though Halloween isn’t even here yet, I’m already feeling holiday pressure creeping up:
Stores are teeming with toys and decorations.
It’s ‘my year’ to have Thanksgiving.
I swore this was the year I wouldn’t be rush-ordering holiday cards on December 18.
There are parties I need sitters for, names to draw, gifts to buy, menus to plan and on and on.
Don’t even get me started on the hoops I’ll jump through to fulfill obligations at school.
I found myself wishing a few Gu’s and an ice bath or two could help keep me sane until 2012 rolls around.
How is it that I have no problem banging out a marathon training cycle but seemingly simple, day-to-day chores overwhelm me?
Then it hit me. I need to attack the holidays much the same way I do a marathon training cycle.
Much like a marathon, thinking of all that needs to be done to survive the holidays is overwhelming. But when you break a huge task down into bite-sized pieces, suddenly it’s much less intimidating.
Maybe I’m the last person on earth to not do this, but what if I create the mother of all to-do lists, on a calendar broken down week by week, day by day, spelling out exactly what I need to do to make it to the finish line (January 1) without hitting the wall or even worse a DNF?
I’m sure there are a multitude of resources out there outlining just how to do this, but I’m going to model my plan after some popular marathon training plans instead:
Run Less Run Faster = Stress Less Work Faster?
Advanced Marathon Training = Advanced Holiday Planning?
Marathon Training for Mortals = Holiday Planning for Desperate Housewives?
Maybe there’s a base-building phase where I cultivate new, more efficient habits…you know instead of lounging around eating bon bons and stuff.
Then there’ll be some speedwork where I do some kamikaze cleaning and decluttering clearly too much pumpkin spice happening here today.
Ultimately, I’ll be so efficient, there’ll be no need to rush and I’ll taper right into the holidays. One can dream.
But the first thing I will put on my new calendar is my runs…oh and fuel of course…and some recovery time to decompress and be grateful. Like all good runners, I know how important those things are. For running, for holiday planning, and for life. I’ll keep you posted on my progress.
