Welcome to Day 1 of our 5-Day Holiday Organizing Challenge!

Need a nudge to help you get ready for the holiday season? Each day this week, we’ll post a time-saving tip and challenge you can implement that will give you more time to relax, enjoy company, take in the wonder of the holidays and appreciate this special time of year.

Today’s Topic: Planning, Delegating and Outsourcing

Planning:

Brainstorm ahead of time as much as you can about what the holidays will involve this year, including lists that can help you prepare and allocate your time. Gift lists, grocery shopping lists, cards to send – these are just a few of the lists you can begin to make now.

Delegating:

Delegate tasks others can do better or faster than you, tasks you don’t like and tasks that someone else is able to do for you. Perhaps you have a relative that enjoys baking, or you and have a neighbor who is great at wrapping gifts – see how you can help each other with tasks you each enjoy! Make a list of holiday related tasks that you can outsource or ask someone else to do help with.

Outsourcing:

Consider when does it make sense to hire a service provider to help and when does it actually pay to spend money on outside help or expertise. Things like decorating a Christmas tree, cooking, housecleaning, yard work… hanging Christmas lights on your house.

Today’s challenge is for you to start your holiday lists, including who you can delegate tasks to or who you could use to outsource services, if needed.

Please be sure to comment in our post and share at least one thing you’ll take OFF your holiday “to do” list by asking for help, delegating or outsourcing this year.

Looking for more tips? Our Simply Organized: Holidays E-book has tips and suggestions to help you have a stress-free holiday season. Head on over to our online shop and pick up your copy today and take advantage of our Cyber Monday Buy One, Get One sale!

With some simple preparation you can enter the holiday season knowing you’ll have more of the excitement and joy, and less of the stress.  Here’s to an organized and stress-free holiday season!

Be sure to check back tomorrow for our Day 2 tip and challenge!

And if you’re a busy professional who could benefit from time-saving strategies that will help you work smarter, not harder, give yourself the gift of time by joining our “It’s About Time” virtual productivity program and get 2019 off to your most productive start!