To Do List Hell

Because life is crazy and stressful, I can easily get overwhelmed by my to do list. I struggle with writing too much down or not enough. It seems when my list is detailed, I chastise myself for not getting certain things done. But other times I find myself with nothing to do because I don't have a to do list.

In 2012, I hope to become the master of my to do list.

Do you have any tips for mastering the to do list?

Roundup: 2012 Planners

If you haven't noticed, 2012 is literally* just around the corner. If you're like me, it's hard to find the perfect planner, so I found a few functional and cute options from Etsy.

2012 Planner Printable from JudesDesigns

Speech Communication Textbook turned 2012 Planner from Second Edition

Satin Ribbon Woven Planner from Pria Vanda

* There is no way I'll ever be able to use that word without thinking of Rob Lowe on Parks & Rec! (Now for some eye candy and humor.)

S

How to Prepare for a Stress-Free Holiday Celebration

On Monday I shared what I've learned are the most important parts of the holidays for me. After that revelation I knew it would be important to keep the stress level down in my home, so I came up with an action plan that will help.

Lists. I wrote lists of who to buy gifts for, what gifts to buy, what Christmas crafts I want to do and the materials I need for those projects. I then created a spreadsheet to check off my progress.

Christmas Cards. I'm going to mail my cards on December 1st, so I've added it to my planner. This means my cards will need to be designed and ordered by Monday. My address list should be up to date. If your list isn't, you should quickly get that done.

Deep Cleaning & Organizing. I'm deep cleaning and organizing as much as possible this month. Come December, basic cleaning should be enough to keep the house together. The time I save not cleaning will be used to get gifts ready and relax.

Decorating. Christmas is my favorite holiday, and I love to decorate. However, this year I'm going to be a little more relaxed about decorating. Instead of putting tons of lights up on my house, we're going to just wrap the porch railings. Inside I'll take a similarly restrained approach. (I'll also assess our need for the large amount of decorations I have.)

Next year I plan to use this post to remind myself to adequately prepare for another stress-free holiday. Also, throughout the year I'll write down gift ideas as I think of them.

My strategy boils down to planning, preparing and making time for myself. Do you have a holiday plan of attack?