Tuesday, December 13, 2016

Too Much To Do--Not Enough Time


by Fran McNabb

It’s that time of the year again—shopping, baking, holiday parties, traveling, wrapping gifts—that
time of the year when the mind becomes a blur and down-time is nonexistent. Is there a way to get through it and still find the enjoyment that is meant to be?

When I was a working mom, I seemed to handle the stress of the holidays much better. Maybe I was more organized. Let’s face it. When a person has the responsibility of work and family, organization is essential. Now that I’m retired, you’d think there would be more time to do the things that I want to do and things that need to be done and less stress associated with it. Nope. Not true.

Now that I am no longer a fulltime teacher and a mom with growing boys, I do cherish my time at home, but that doesn’t mean I’m any more organized and ready for the holidays. Why is that? Do other women (and men) experience the same frenzy that I find myself in during the holidays?

Is it because we try to do too much because we have the time to do it? Is it because others expect more of us? I think it’s because my brain is still active (that’s a good thing) and thinks my body is still young and able to do all it wants to do. I’ll make a confession: I’m at the end of my sixth decade, but I do sometimes forget that. I’m an author and I still have all these wonderful plans for more books to write, contests to enter, blogs to write, edits to do, and on and on, but when it comes down to it, I can’t do it all, or maybe I just don’t have the energy to do it all.

So at this time of the year when everyone is rushing around, I think we all need to take inventory of the things in our lives that need to be done or want to do. Whether it’s finishing that next manuscript or actually having our Christmas list finished early, maybe a little organization and realization of what we can do is needed.

Can’t finish something? Don’t stress. Decide what's important. Rewrite your list of to-do-chores and do only those things that are necessary. Christmas is a time of joy. Don’t let stress take that joy away.


FRAN MCNABB writes sweet romance, with eight books available and four “searching for a home.” Her first book, A LIGHT IN THE DARK , is a Christmas themed story set in the mountains of W. Virginia. It was published in 2006 by Avalon Publishing and is now available through Montlake Publishing. http://a.co/cqVPhQO .Visit Fran at www.FranMcNabb.com or at mcnabbf@bellsouth.net.

 

6 comments:

  1. So true, Fran, especially your last sentence. Thanks for the reminder. Hope you have a wonderful Christmas and many good things happen to you and your family in 2017.

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    1. Sandy, I think I need to remind myself of that as well.

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  2. Hi Fran--
    I can relate to everything you said :-) I, too, seemed to get more done when I was working fulltime than now. I'm still puzzled that I get less done these days. Wishing you and your family a fabulous and relaxed Christmas.
    Victoria--

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    1. Victoria, yes, it's a mystery why our time is limited when we have more of it! Have a wonderful Christmas.

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  3. Good advice! While we're hustling and bustling around trying to get everything on the list done, it's easy to lose sight of the fact that Christmas is supposed to be a time of peace and joy!

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  4. This rings so true! I've been having the same questions, how did I get it all done when the kids were little and I was working? I think I expect to be able to do more now. I had a big party this past weekend--something I very rarely attempted in my younger days so close to the holidays. I've spent the time since catching up, shopping, writing cards and mailing gifts. I have to remind myself that this is all supposed to be fun. Thanks for the additional reminder from you!

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