How to prepare for the new year in a month. New Year's Eve Plan - December

Preparing for the New Year is not always a joyful process. Indeed, in addition to buying gifts for people dear to our hearts and renewal holiday decor, it includes the whole range of housework - from cleaning and washing to ironing, putting dishes in order and cooking. So that the preparation for your favorite holiday does not turn into a continuous stress and does not take too much strength and energy, try to start it as early as possible. The pre-holiday preparation, stretched for the whole of December, is considered the best option: it allows you to distribute work more evenly and avoid feeling of routine and fatigue.

Start planning your holidays from December 1st or the end of November. To do this, you need to decide where and how you are going to celebrate the New Year, in which company, whether you plan to organize a feast, create a menu, calculate what purchases you will have to make (both gifts and accessories, decor, Christmas tree decorations, products, festive attire), think about how you will decorate your interior this year and how long it will take you.

Start with the menu, then think of the outfits, then refer to the space and finish with the gifts, writing down all the necessary purchases, cleaning and decorating components in the master plan. But do not rush and do not make the entire work schedule in one day, otherwise this process will take you long hours. Stretch the planning for a whole week, following step by step.

First week: making a schedule

On the first day of the month of preparation for the holiday, decide on the main thing - cleaning, make a schedule of work in each specific room, and then, distributing them according to the amount of time that you and your loved ones spend in a particular room, evenly scatter them over all days of work so that instead of one big cleaning, you got a series of small, but daily procedures that will help bring the house into perfect order.

Then, during the week, decide and break down the celebration directly into specific points of the work schedule; the need for table setting and location of guests; menu (shopping and cooking lines); present; planned purchases for the home (household items, dishes, textiles, decor, Christmas decorations, accessories).

Second week: start shopping

In the second week, think about what spirits you will need and immediately purchase them: a couple of weeks before the holidays, you will not only be able to buy the desired elite drinks, avoiding the rush, but also free yourself from the need to go shopping in last days. If you are having a party or children's holiday, then it's time to think over the script, costumes and acquisitions necessary for competitions. As the New Year approaches, there will be less and less time for these preparations, so it’s best to plan and prepare in advance.

It is two or three weeks before the holiday that it is also better to make all the big purchases - from clothes to gifts. Earlier in the stores you may not find an assortment of the latest collections and the best pre-holiday deals, and later shopping will be accompanied by pandemonium and excitement. And the prices, the less time left for the holiday, the more they “bite”, and the choice becomes smaller and smaller. And if you can’t find everything, you will still have enough time to order.

Until it's time to decorate your home and cook, you still have a minute or two to do needlework. Try to do with family exclusive jewelry on the Christmas tree, make compositions for the table or Christmas wreaths, embroider new napkins, sew festive pillow covers. There is still time for a hobby, as well as for a festive outfit - in the second week of preparation, it should already be in your wardrobe, thought out to the smallest detail.

In mid-December, go on your first grocery shopping - buy foods that are kept frozen or do not spoil, for example, take care of canned food, spices, tea, coffee, rice and other non-perishable products.

Third week: planning a holiday

With about two weeks left until the New Year, write out the script for the holiday, select contests and make sure you have everything you need for your idea. Think about family leisure for the whole weekend - buy or place your favorite films that you will watch closer, prepare holiday music, get family albums and video archives that you can enjoy during the holidays, when the forces for an active and noisy celebration run out.

Do not forget to take care of toasts, and postcards, and letters to relatives in time - electronic or in the old fashioned way, prepare poems for holiday SMS, calls. If you have everything ready in advance, you will only need to press the desired button. Think and new year wishes relatives, and what you expect from the next year - so that later, as they say, do not delve into the memory under the chimes.

This week, buy all sparklers, firecrackers or fireworks, candles, if you are going to use them, be sure to contact specialized and certified stores.

Last week: decorating the Christmas tree, getting ready for New Year's Eve

You need to get the Christmas tree no later than the 23rd day - after all, the beauty still needs to straighten out in order to shine in all its splendor. If you are planning to buy live Christmas tree, then go after her between the 23rd and 27th: so the prices will not bite yet, and you can buy the “freshest” and magnificent beauty, which you can support on the balcony until installation and decoration. If desired, and with sufficient courage, the Christmas tree can also be replaced with an original design in a minimalist style.

The transformation of the interior and the decoration of rooms always begin with the Christmas tree, and only after it is ready they are taken to the decor and accessories that fill the house with a special atmosphere. Move from walls to floor compositions, from large ensembles to small details. The tables and the kitchen are the last to decorate. As soon as the decor of the rooms is finished, and your house is transformed, take care of the aromatization of the air with the help of aromatic mixtures, sachets, aroma lamps.

In the last days of the outgoing year, you need to think about post-holiday worries: you should not deny yourself the pleasure of starting the year with a trip to the cinema, to a concert or to the theater, be sure to buy tickets in advance. Three or four days before the New Year, have a party cosmetic procedures with masks and aroma baths.

If you have given up general cleaning, December 29th walk around the rooms and put the finishing touches - wipe the dust, check if everything is in order. If you prefer to shoulder the entire load of cleaning for one day, then devote the whole day to it.

Everything that you didn't have time to buy in advance, buy in addition December 30th, on the same day, without forgetting to purchase both products for the festive feast and the missing decor items. On December 30, you need to set the table, without leaving this process for the last day of the year, check with the schedule and plan, seeing if you have forgotten important details.

31th of December except for cooking, nothing should occupy you: the entire “entourage” for the holiday should already be ready, and only pleasant chores in the kitchen and taking care of yourself, your beloved, should separate you from the long-awaited celebration!

Do you remember your past New Year? Yes, I'm sure you remember. An elegant Christmas tree immediately comes to mind, a bunch of gifts, guests, dances, chic table... How fun and great everything was!
And now let's go down a little from heaven to earth and remember the preparation for the holiday. Yeah, a completely different picture: running around in a fur coat through stuffy shops in search of gifts, endless lines at the cash registers and to the lady processing gifts ... general cleaning until late at night, hours of standing at the stove, and, in the end, hectic showers, curlers and make-up half an hour before the guests arrive.

Preparing for the New Year is a serious and responsible business. If you want to save your nerve cells (which, as you know, cannot be restored), then you need to start preparing for the New Year in advance. Moreover, if you start preparing for the holiday in advance, you will not only not overwork, but on the contrary, enjoy all the New Year's fuss.

If plans suddenly change, and you need to change your mind or adjust something, you will have plenty of time for this!

Let's create together a complete four-week plan to prepare for the new year without stress!

Week 1 December.
30 days left before the new year.

Guests . In the first week of December, you need to decide on the number of guests with whom you will count the chimes together. Be sure to ask the invitees to give you an answer whether they will be able to attend your holiday or not.

Budget. Everyone wants everything at once. AND nice table, And expensive gifts, and a new dress, and also shoes, hair, makeup especially for New Year's Eve . With today's abundance, it is not difficult to satisfy even the craziest needs.
The only question is the budget. Determine for yourself the maximum amount that you are willing to spend on gifts, on the table, on decorating the Christmas tree, on your own outfit. And stick to your plan. You should not enter New Year with debts acquired from an overly lavish launch party. If only because, in addition to the headache from the stormy meeting of the New Year, there will be added excitement about how to repay these debts. In addition, leave debts on next year- This Bad sign.

Present. Write a list of people for whom you need to buy gifts. Opposite each name is a list of ideas, possible gifts and the approximate amount you are going to spend. Buying gifts should start as early as possible. By the holiday itself, the tension of consumers and sellers reaches its climax, and then you will not escape stress. No idea how to please loved ones? It doesn’t matter, you can see gift ideas in the article “” and DIY gifts!
Don't forget the fancy wrapping paper and bows, opening a gift when you don't know what awaits you is much more interesting!

Appearance. Do you want to meet New Year beauty - it's time to sign up for a hairdresser, a facial cleansing and a manicure. Closer to the holiday, it will be completely impossible to get to beauty specialists.

December 7th.
There are 23 days left until the New Year.

New Year's outfit. If you decide to celebrate the new year in a new thing, then now is the time to start looking for it. Before you go hunting for perfect dress, it is desirable to decide what exactly you want to buy: will this outfit be exclusively solemn or do you want to buy something that is suitable for every day. Or maybe you want to coincide with the holiday purchase of what you have long dreamed of? Perhaps someone would like to meet New Year in, . You may want to freshen up something you already have in your wardrobe with new accessories. Then you can limit yourself to a new decoration, smart shoes, a beautiful belt or a spectacular scarf.

Costumes for children. Do you have small children? Then it's time to think about a New Year's costume for a matinee in kindergarten Or for a city Christmas tree. Even though buy New Year costume no problem now, think about what you can make yourself for your baby. There is no limit to the imagination of parents! In addition, making a costume with mom and dad is another joyful and magical adventure for your child in all New Year's fuss.

Beauty saloon . It is better to make a visit to the beautician for facial cleansing 2-3 weeks before the celebration. Then by the holiday the skin will calm down and look its best.

New Year's decor. If we have a plan and time, why don't we decorate the house for the New Year? But what if you put elegant New Year's pillowcases on the sofa cushions, make touching ones with the children?

Preparations for the New Year must begin in advance, it is better to prepare a month in advance according to a special to-do list. True, not every person has such an opportunity. If you are starting to prepare for the New Year celebration, my plan of action will come in handy.

New Year's fuss and belated preparation unbalance even a calm person. In order not to forget anything, make a preparation plan.

Let's imagine that today is December 30 on the calendar. But the Christmas tree is not decorated, the apartment is not cleaned, New Year's gifts are not bought, and the refrigerator is empty. That's why you need to create an optimized plan.

New Year's to-do list

Adult preparation should begin with compiling a list of products and promptly sending them to the store. When making a list, pay attention to the little things, including souvenirs, skewers and napkins. Otherwise, you will have to return to the store and waste time.
Upon returning from the store, proceed to install the Christmas tree and decorate the home. In the absence of strength, it is better to go to bed immediately, and leave things for tomorrow.
The next day, finish setting up the tree and cleaning the house. Remember, the New Year symbol is first installed and decorated, and cleaning is done after.
Then start cooking treats. Some dishes are prepared in advance: salads, cakes and cold snacks. If time is too short, it is better to buy a cake at a pastry shop.
By resolving issues related to New Year's table, work on yourself. Undoubtedly, a decorated house and a set table are good. But, without a well-groomed hostess, the holiday will be far from ideal.
Take time to prepare the outfit and to yourself. Do your hair and make-up, do not rush.
Since the New Year's dishes are already ready, the accommodation is clean and tidy, decorating the table will not require much time.
Final stage preparation for the New Year is represented by table setting, completion of cooking, meeting guests.

By following this plan, you will definitely have time for everything. It remains to spend the New Year's holiday in a cheerful and noisy company.

We prepare the body

people after new year holidays don't feel very well. Not surprisingly, in a matter of days they eat dishes, not paying attention to the benefits for the body. And it's not about calories. If some continue to suffer, others are interested in the technique of preparing the body for the New Year.

According to professional nutritionists, it is necessary to prepare the body for the New Year's test in advance. It is better to start the procedure in mid-December. Two weeks is enough for full training organism.

First stage preparation - reducing the number of calories in the diet. It is enough to give up fatty foods and sweets. Remove sausages, smoked meats and products containing sucrose from the diet.
Start drinking more water to keep your body hydrated.
IN new year's eve it is strictly forbidden to sit down at the festive table in a hungry state. Refresh yourself before the celebration. Otherwise, the sight of the laid table will cause a loss of self-control.
During the feast, give preference to only one strong drink. Mixing alcohol is not recommended. Besides, drink alcoholic drinks no need. It's better to eat them.
Drink a glass of water the day after the celebration. Don't forget to zoom water load the week following the holiday. Drink water, eat liquid meals, and delight the body with natural juices.

Following this simple instruction, you will get rid of bad health after the New Year holidays.

Preparing a child for the New Year

Some parents think whether it is necessary to tell the child the truth about the existence of Santa Claus. It is well known that a little later, however, will disappoint him. You can't argue with that.

If a child believes in Santa Claus, then he believes in miracles. When he grows up, faith will come in handy in more serious situations. Faith is the protection of the human psyche.

Often parents are interested in preparing children for the New Year. If you belong to this category of parents, read the article further.

Toddlers

Don't expect too much from a child. He may look forward to meeting Santa Claus, but after that moment comes, he may be frightened.
Be sure to tell your child that on New Year's holidays, loved ones gather in a big company, decorate the Christmas tree and cook dinner. Santa Claus will come and leave a gift under the tree.
If you are going to go to a matinee and organize a meeting of the child with this character there, do a lot of preparation. Together with your child, dress up a Christmas tree, lead a family dance around it and sing songs. Try to make at home festive atmosphere.
Put on a show for the child. This will help Santa Claus, Christmas tree and small New Year's toys. So you will show the child what awaits him at the matinee.
Make the morning predictable for the child. Meeting with Grandfather Frost will not be stressful for him and will leave positive impressions.

preschoolers

Children of this age are prepared for the New Year holidays in a different way. As a rule, Santa Claus no longer causes a feeling of fear in them.
Make the main bet on preparing for the holiday and creating a mood.
With your child, write a small letter to grandfather and leave it under the Christmas tree. In the morning there, the child will find an answer with a request to learn a verse or decorate a room.
This will prolong communication with fairy tale character and bring a wonderful Christmas mood.

Video tips

Now preparing a child for the New Year will not cause difficulties for you. Make your day unique. Light the garlands in the morning. Never scold a child. come up with children's menu of bright and unusually decorated treats that are served on the table in beautiful festive dishes.

Decoration and preparation of the apartment for the New Year

Traditionally, preparation for the New Year holidays begins with a general cleaning, putting things in order in the house and getting rid of blockages.

If you clean up, following my rules for preparing an apartment for the New Year, everything will work out.

Vases, crystal, glass

Remove removable elements from chandeliers and lamps, lower them into a container with heated water and add detergent. Take it out later and wipe it with a cloth. Use cotton gloves. They are more comfortable to work with.
Pour vinegar into a vase and leave until the next morning. If the overnight procedure cleared the vase, rinse with water. Otherwise, add rice to the vinegar and shake the product. Then wipe the walls of the vase with grains and the plaque will go away.

Tulle and curtains

If the curtains turn yellow, soak them in bleach for an hour, and then send them to washing machine.
At the end of the wash, hang the still damp tulle on the eaves. Vacuum heavy curtains lightly using the narrow nozzle.

Fireplace

Use a dry cloth to remove dirt and ash from the fireplace surfaces. Use a vacuum cleaner with a special brush.
Use an iron brush to clean the grate and the area in front of the fireplace. If the grate is made of cast iron, use a special paste.

Technique

Disconnect the TV and PC from the network. Wipe the screens with a dry cloth. Grease spots treat with a special cleaning cloth that eliminates static charge.
Do not use cleaning products to clean LCD screens because they contain solvents or alcohol. Stock up on a special tool.
A computer keyboard is a great dust collector. To clean, disconnect it from the computer, turn it over and shake it over a piece of newspaper.
Use a vacuum cleaner to remove the remaining dust. Wipe the area between the buttons cotton buds dipped in soapy water.
Wipe remote controls and handsets with an antibacterial wipe.

Furniture

If the furniture is leather, first remove dirt and dust with a damp cloth. After applying a special solution to the skin, which will retain elasticity and softness.
Clean wooden furniture a little easier. Using a special paste, remove scratches, and then rub with a woolen cloth.
If a dog or a cat lives in the apartment, be sure to cover upholstered furniture with special capes. If you do not want to hide furniture under covers, use decorative napkins and put them where pets usually lie.

Sink and taps

Wipe down the sink with an abrasive cleaner. Put brushes and sponges in a separate box. If they have served, discard. If they are suitable for use, disinfect in a microwave oven.
Moisten a cloth with a limescale remover and wrap the faucets. After some time, remove and rinse the taps with water.
If special means no, use for cleaning lemon juice or vinegar.

Microwave, containers, cutting boards

To sterilize your cutting board, use hot water. If there are old boards or products covered with mold in the kitchen, it is better to get rid of them. Wash plastic molds.
Microwave ovens are easy to clean with a solution of water and lemon zest. Put the dish with the product in the oven for a couple of minutes.
Essential oils contained in lemon will quickly dissolve fat, and a pleasant aroma will appear in the kitchen. It remains to wipe the stove with a cloth.
Often, through the open door of the kitchen cabinet, water enters the room. bad smell. Helps eliminate it ground coffee on a piece of paper, placed in a locker.

Ceramic tile

When laying the tiles, the craftsmen leave seams, which are subsequently clogged with a special mixture. It's beautiful, but the seams are not easy to clean. A bleach paired with a toothbrush will help.
Dirt that does not rub off the surface of the tile is easily removed with a mixture of sugar and liquid soap. Rub the tile with the product, and then rinse with a rag.

Christmas tree

Cut the Christmas tree at an angle, and upon returning home, put it in a bucket with cold water.
The next day, wipe the cut, dry and coat with wax.

Shelves and cabinets

Get rid of unnecessary things. Fold the rest of the items neatly.
New Year's Eve is the perfect time to get rid of cardboard boxes, broken toys, and old clothes.

It remains to run around the apartment with a vacuum cleaner that will collect the remaining dust and debris. Without this device, it is impossible to clean the apartment. Next, remove dust from the remaining surfaces, and then do wet cleaning. Everything, the apartment is clean, you can cook treats, bake

Should start at the end of November. After all, we are waiting for a few days of New Year and Christmas holidays. How to Prepare for the New Year Do everything and don't forget anything?

November is coming to an end. It's time to make detailed lists of your recipients: to whom to send a postcard, to whom - a parcel, who will be satisfied with a phone call, and who will enjoy a colorful e-mail message.
The closer the holiday, the more questions about preparation for the new year accumulates. We need to think about how in a festive way equip the house, how to decorate the Christmas tree, how to surprise those sitting at the table. And gifts! How to choose gifts for the New Year to all relatives, friends and not to forget about nice souvenirs for colleagues? And also buy New Year and Christmas cards, stamps for them, wrapping paper ...
It's time to plan everything. If you are expecting guests, you should already take care of the invitations. If you are planning a dinner party in a restaurant, it would be a good idea to book tables now, so that later it will not be too late.

December 1-15. Time to buy gifts. It's good to pack them nicely in advance. And sign at the same time. Let bright bundles lie in front of everyone, tease the household, create a festive atmosphere. This is one of the elements New Year's interior. Let's make a list of gifts. Especially - those that will be sent in advance by mail. By the way, another plus in the early New Year's purchases: you don't have to storm the shops on the eve of the holidays - then you won't be crowded there anyway.

December 1-20. It's time to collect parcels and inscribe postcards. Much here depends on the good work of the mail and the habitats of your recipients. We ship internationally first, then domestically. Let's not forget that in pre-holiday days mail is overloaded - and letters with parcels can travel longer than usual.
It will not hurt if the children (and how inventive they can show themselves here!) prepare for the new year. Of course, their homemade products will certainly be imperfect. But from the snowflakes made by children's hands, garlands and what else they will come up with from toys, the house will become much warmer and more comfortable.

December 23-25. We are closely starting to develop (down to the smallest detail) the menu holiday table. And then we make a list of everything you need to go to the supermarket. New recipes, in order to avoid embarrassment, it is better to "test" in advance on the household. It will immediately become clear whether this dish will surprise guests in a good way for the New Year. Yes, and how much time it really takes to cook it is completely useful to know. It's also a good idea to choose music that will sound in the background. And if you intended dance night on one of the festive New Year's days, then we are working on his repertoire.

December 20-25. Let's start shopping long-term storage: canned food, alcohol, sweets and all that. And various household "trifles": foil, paper towels, film, napkins, candles ...
December 25. You can already decorate the Christmas tree, place gifts under it, decorate the house with all sorts of garlands, toys and serpentine.

December 27-28. Let's start cooking. Since it can be safely stored in the refrigerator for several days. Let's say sauces...

December 29-30. Last grocery shopping for the New Year: meat, fish, vegetables and everything else.

December 30-31 . Preparing for the New Year left to finish cooking holiday menu(this is if you are celebrating at home). Or, if you accepted someone's invitation, to gather for a visit ...

We have prepared a new portion of tips and tasks that will help make the expectation of the main holiday of the year more enjoyable. This week's task is to clear things out, abandon plans that will no longer be implemented, and make a schedule for half of November and December so that you don't forget anything.

Curb your life

New Year is very often associated with liberation, cleaning and saying goodbye to clutter, getting rid of trash. It is interesting that there is not only physical rubbish (old, broken and long unnecessary things): a lot of deeds and plans are also a kind of way to plunge into the realm of chaos. We are not obliged to do everything that we must: rather, in fact, the obligation here is very conditional - often others and society impose different obligations on us and force us to solve problems that we have almost nothing to do with. It's time to get rid of the conflict: "You must..." - "But I don't want to...".

After a total cleaning of your schedule, you should think about how to make the most of the remaining month and a half before the holiday. Faithful assistant - diary, and better calendar in a smartphone with sound reminders. So you won't forget anything. But first, of course, you need to make detailed list affairs.

And immediately advice. Beware of taking on a task without thinking it through. Take time each morning to ask yourself, “Am I ready for the day ahead?” You will be more prepared just because you asked this question.

Rip vicious circle and get rid of the self-imposed label of a man mired in a sea of affairs. Make your schedule airy, light and crystal clear. It's possible!

Is it time for you to get things done?

This test is a list of signs of procrastination (and at the same time - workaholism and perfectionism), which will tell you whether you really experience serious difficulties in achieving your goals, whether you feel like a person overwhelmed with business and whether you have unproductive habits regarding work, social roles (to be a good daughter, mother, wife), obligations and daily activities. These are alarms: the more times you answer yes to these questions, the more more serious problem. And on the eve of the New Year, it's time to deal with it!

The real trouble is that we experience constant anxiety, postponing the execution of things, feeling guilty for a mediocre task that we took up in last minute and deeply regret the missed opportunities.

1. Do you perceive life as a long series of obligations that you cannot keep? Do you make endless to-do lists?
Do you use expressions such as “you should…”, “you should have…” when talking to yourself?
Do you feel powerless, unable to make a choice?
Do you experience anxiety or constant fear of being caught procrastinating?
Do you suffer from insomnia, do you find it difficult to relax at night, on weekends or on vacation (if you have a vacation)?
2. Do you have trouble keeping track of time? Do you use indefinite terms, such as "sometime on next week... "or" in the fall ... ", saying that you will start new project?
Does it happen that you do not notice what you are wasting your time on?
Do you have an empty schedule, not filled with clear agreements, plans, tasks and deadlines?
Are you chronically late for meetings and dinners?
You can't correctly calculate how long it will take you to drive through the whole city, taking into account traffic jams?
3. Are you unclear about your own plans or values? Is it difficult for you to deal with any one project?
It is difficult for you to understand what you really want from yourself, but do you know for sure what you should want?
Are you easily distracted from your goal by another plan that doesn't seem to pose any problems or difficulties?
Is it difficult for you to determine what to spend your time on in the first place, and what can be delayed?
4. Do you understand that you are not fulfilling yourself, you feel frustration and depression? Do you have life goals that you have never achieved or even tried?
Do you have the feeling that you are never satisfied with a completed project?
Do you have the feeling that you are deprived of something - constantly working or, conversely, feeling guilty for not working?
Do thoughts swirl in your head: “And why did I do this?” or "What's wrong with me?"
5. Are you indecisive and afraid of being criticized for making mistakes? Postponing the final stage of the project in an attempt to bring the result to perfection?
Are you afraid to take responsibility for making decisions because you are driven by the fear of being blamed if “things go wrong”?
Do you demand perfect execution of even the smallest things?
Do you expect yourself to not be upset by mistakes and to be above criticism?
Do you experience endless fear that something will go wrong?
6. Do low self-esteem and lack of self-confidence prevent you from starting to work productively?
Do you blame your mistakes on external circumstances because you are afraid to admit that you have flaws?
Do you think that "you are what you do" or that "you are a reflection of who you are"?
Do you feel like you have no control over your own life?
Are you afraid that you will be judged and considered inferior?

If most of these assumptions are true for you, then you probably already know about your problems with procrastination, time management, or workaholism. If only a few of these alarm signals are true for you, then you may procrastinate in some areas of your life while maintaining control in most others. Or maybe you're just tired. One way or another, something needs to be done about it. And we'll tell you exactly what.

Get rid of unnecessary tasks and responsibilities

If you agree to any occupation, project, social activity and volunteer event, then you may consider yourself a sympathetic and caring person who always cares about others. True, at the same time, you probably feel like a martyr - exhausted, exhausted, unappreciated. When you give more than you receive, you end up with a severe lack of energy. And burnout is at hand. On New Year's Eve, we don't need it at all.

If we want to do everything and stay in good mood, exude positive energy and positive at home, then it is worth throwing out the excess from life.

Exercise "Release from duties and responsibilities"

Remember all your social roles, all your obligations and voluntary activities. Write them down in the first column of the table.
Understand the reasons why you are doing this or that thing, and admit to yourself what emotions you experience while doing it. Are you satisfied with this or, on the contrary, feel terrible, although you know that it seems like a good thing.
Circle in red the things that cause you only negative emotions, and think about how to relieve yourself of these responsibilities: transfer them to someone else or refuse altogether.

Whenever you are offered a new activity or insist that you do not leave the old, answer: "Thanks for the trust, but I have enough things to do now." And that's it!

Reversing calendar

There are so many things to do before the holidays that sometimes it seems impossible. Cases are like a snowball: the farther, the more of them. To minimize this effect, take a mental look at all the tasks as a whole and break them down into small, easily feasible tasks. Such an overview allows you to plan everything for days and weeks ahead, setting your own deadlines. This is called a reverse calendar.

The Reverse Calendar starts at the deadline and scrolls back, step by step, to the present moment, allowing you to focus your energy right at the start. The reversing calendar is extremely useful if you are faced with tasks that require diligent work for long period. You need it to determine what you can deal with immediately, where you can delegate your authority to someone else, and when you will have a chance to catch your breath.

Example
Final deadline: December 31st. You need to fully prepare for the New Year, buy gifts and cook festive dinner for family and guests.
And this means:
December 30th- ask family members to help with cooking and packing gifts and give everyone a task according to their strength for tomorrow
December 29th- do a general house cleaning
December 28th- buy perishable products
December 26- shopping in accordance with the list of necessary
December 24- make a shopping list (food, gifts, postcards, wrapping paper, candles, sweets)
21 December- invite guests
20th of December- put up a Christmas tree (artificial or buy live) and decorate the house
December 15- buy gifts for loved ones and stock up on 7-10 small souvenirs with symbols of the New Year 2016 (for unexpected situations and unscheduled guests)
December 7- flip through magazines and sites with recipes to decide on dishes for the New Year's table
November 27- choose an outfit (from what you have, or buy a new dress), styling and manicure for the holiday, sign up for a hairdresser in advance
November 24- decide who and what gift to buy, and go shopping

Be sure to set reminders on your smartphone by linking them to the date and time. And don't forget to take breaks between tasks! The main stumbling block in planning is the lack of realism. By scheduling tasks without considering distractions or interruptions, you risk losing focus and running out of time.

See how easy it is? And now the pre-holiday fuss no longer seems so chaotic, and you know exactly by what date this or that task should be completed. And no worries!

Turn the boat into the wind

What to do if something unexpected happens? There's an answer. Don't look turnkey solutions- act according to circumstances. We live and rule in a world of limited information, guaranteed surprises, and unexpected occurrences. Storms - real and metaphorical - are inevitable. Instinctively, we are drawn to anticipate them, but our attempts are futile, since it is impossible to avoid the risks they carry. And even if we thought the plan before the smallest details It's crazy to think we're ready for anything.

It often happens that there are too many options for the development of events to foresee each of them. Then the decision must be made on the go. Just do not pretend to be a superman or a person who knows everything, everything in the world: act reasonably, here and now, without self-confidence. Do not rush to act in a hurry, but do not freeze in place.

But if it is not given to us to know what will happen tomorrow, how can we prepare for the coming events? Be prepared to be unprepared. Most successful people able to act even in conditions of complete uncertainty.

In the face of the unknown...

1. Stop the boat
If the situation prompts you to take fast decision, do not give up. Turn the bow of your imaginary ship into the wind so you don't blow the sails. If you are in a business meeting, go to the restroom for a minute. If you are in your office, get up and walk around. In short, pause and think. Paul Petzoldt, legendary climber and defender environment, liked to say that the first thing to do in emergency- assuming it's safe to do so, - smoke a cigarette. In a figurative sense.

2. Evaluate your options
Don't waste time regretting or trying to fit your old plan to a new unforeseen situation. Start with clean slate: Imagine the desired outcome given the current environment, information available and resources available. And then consider your options.

3. Swim
Make a decision and act. Even if the choice isn't perfect, even if it doesn't give you everything you originally intended, accept the fact that it is The best decision in the current circumstances, and move forward without hesitation.

Get out of the habit of developing a plan of action for all possible life scenarios. Better learn to pause, make decisions even in a situation of complete uncertainty and move forward.

Optimize this, optimize that

If you think about it, you can build an ideal scheme for all your affairs, the key word in which is optimization. Optimization of cases and tasks will allow you not to be scattered, not to waste time and not be nervous. Let's say you need to buy a gift for your grandmother at a knitting store 10 km from home, stop by a hairdresser on the other side of town to buy shampoo, read about productivity for work, and stop by the store near the house for groceries. Optimization means that you need to do the maximum action in the minimum amount of time. This can be achieved through combination, careful planning and the help of loved ones. Here's what it might look like:

at home you are looking for a recording of a productivity conference,
download to your phone and take your headphones with you,
on the way to the bus stop, call your sister and ask her to buy shampoo (the salon is located next to her work),
you go to the knitting store and at the same time listen to the conference, writing down important thoughts on your phone,
you buy a gift for your grandmother and buy groceries on the way back.

All! Ready! And a person who would not optimize his tasks for the day would do them all in order, spending 3-6 hours more precious time.

Optimization helps improve various processes in your life. An example of an optimal process is the assembly instructions for IKEA products. To help the buyer, IKEA creates several step by step instructions, which do not need explanatory text, require minimum set actions and for the most part work flawlessly.

IN Everyday life you need to be guided by the same principle - to break each process into several small and understandable steps that can be brought to automatism or completely shifted to others.

We all have daily chores: checking Email, writing reports, doing research, generating content, reading materials, cooking meals, and much, much more. We do something daily, something every week, and something from time to time. During the preparation for the New Year, the number of cases increases exponentially, and optimization is indispensable here.

Protect your time

With age, it becomes more and more obvious that life is a set of calendar pages. They reflect everything that you have done, seen, felt, accomplished, touched and influenced, thought about, learned, succeeded or failed in. Every encounter with friends, family, acquaintances, clients, neighbors, and strangers that occurred during this time has now become part of your relationship with all of these people, for better or worse. But it will never return. This is a feature of time. It only moves in one direction: forward. The law of life, which is so mesmerizing.

That is why it is so important to allocate time only for those things that are truly important to you. Of course, you can not avoid duties, because they are necessary to maintain life. But when you start to appreciate that your life is a collection of every special piece of time that you can use in any way, then you will want to spend it on something worthwhile. And as soon as you fill the calendar and set aside time for important things, then you can no longer be confused. You will have to refuse some people, especially during such a hot time as the New Year, but it is worth the peace of mind - yours and your loved ones.

Start doing what you want right now. We don't have eternity. We have only this moment, sparkling like a star in our hands and melting like a snowflake.

In essence, by writing your goals, tasks, and important things on your calendar, you make an appointment for them. You give them precise timing and will practice them to get results. The calendar is where the process starts. This is where success begins.

If you suddenly feel overwhelmed and out of control, do something that will help you regain balance: go for a walk, take a day off, watch your favorite movie. And then, when you feel that you have the strength to return to the ranks, continue all your business. And everything will be great!

If you want to learn how to quickly restore energy, stay alert and active, read the very "Update. New Year along with MIF.