For the Love of Lists

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How to Live the Christmas Spirit All Year Long

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Christmas Spirit

Recently, my husband and I were discussing how short-lived the Christmas season can be and how all the good will can sometimes seem artificial.  Of course, the lead-up to the season has started earlier and earlier each year, but as soon as January 1st hits we are typically back to focusing on ourselves and stripping away all the joyous intent: no more cheerful music, no more family get-togethers, significantly less charity.  We decided that the issue isn’t the traditions and facets of Christmas, but instead the fact that we associate them only with Christmas and thus leave them behind in the new year.  But why can’t we keep that spirit going?

I’ve been considering all of the elements that comprise the Christmas season, and I want to make it my mission to incorporate them throughout the year.  There’s no reason we can’t enjoy this spirit all year round and use it to greatly improve our lives.  Here is what I thought of:

  • Connection with the Church – While there are many who spend Advent fervently preparing for Christmas, there are others who return to the church only annually as a pilgrimage to the source of the occasion.  Those who retain the religious core of Christmas view it as one of the chief times to reconnect with the church.  However, this connection can happen weekly, daily even, with simple actions and intents to strengthen your faith.  This year, in whatever manner your practice, try to reach out further through routine Mass and prayer.
  • Family & Friends – This time of year we almost always look forward to spending quality time with those closest to us.  We travel for miles, balance logistics, make phone calls, send cards, and more just to let our loved ones know we are thinking of them.  Yet I know I am guilty of those calls lapsing the rest of the year.  Any time is a good one to send a letter or gather people together, so why not make it a point of staying in contact continuously?  All it takes is a quick message or visit from time to time.
  • Seasonal Traditions – Each family has their own set of events set off by the Christmas season: tree trimmings, Advent calendars, Elf on a Shelf, ice skating, cookie baking, readings of “The Night Before Christmas”, sledding, etc.  Especially in situations where change is ever present, such as with military families, those traditions can be the constants we anticipate all year.  But such traditions can exist in each and every season, if we so choose.  They are the events and activities we cherish and pass down, and while they may evolve and adapt over time, they keep us present in the times.
  • Gifts & Charity – Of course it’s the kids who run to the presents under the tree in excitement, but the truth is that everyone enjoys a thoughtful gift.  One of my favorite parts of Christmas is searching out that “perfect gift” for someone, anticipating what their reaction will be when they receive it.  But I’d like to think that from time to time I could make or find simple gifts to surprise those I care about, either to honor minor occasions or to cheer them up.  Also, starting with Thanksgiving, this time of year is when most of us try to be more generous through coin donations and acts of service.  Yet organizations such as the Salvation Army and St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital need such help every day.  This year, make it a point to volunteer your time or funds towards good causes, even if it’s as small as gifting some food to someone in need.
  • Cheerful Music & Media – Every year I have a list of “must-see” holiday-themed TV and movies I need to watch in order to consider my season complete, along with playlists full of Christmas music.  It’s hard to stay in a bad mood singing along to Jingle Bell Rock or watching The Grinch grow his heart.  So why is it that the rest of the year I forget to use such feel-good media as a tool when I’m feeling down?  No one says you can’t dream of a white Christmas starting in July, and nevertheless there is plenty of other cheerful music in this world for us to appreciate.  Make a playlist and collect videos that make you happy, and hold onto them for a rainy day.
  • Decorations – I love those calm, quiet nights that you can bundle up, stroll down the street, and wander among the lighted houses.  Or sitting by the Christmas tree after everyone has gone to bed.  For only up to a month we strive to make our homes beautiful and deliberate, filling them with reminders of the season.  And yes, some of you are already expert decorators and I applaud you, but a lot of us focus our efforts on Christmas.  But there are simple ways to incorporate those sentimental trinkets, those seasonal displays, and those twinkling lights.  See what ways you can think of to carry these through the other eleven months.
  • Homemade Items & Feasts – Some of the best gifts are homemade.  When you know someone has spent not only money, but time on your present it means a lot more.  Funny enough, sometimes those gifts are even easier (a warm batch of chocolate chip cookies can go a long way).  This goes even further with the typical homemade feasts we enjoy on Christmas Eve or Christmas night.  Generally, this is a time we drop the processed convenience and make wholesome meals to sit down and share with our families and friends.  Now, I don’t know about you, but there’s no way I could make a turkey dinner after work.  But there’s no reason I couldn’t choose to make it on a weekend.  And striving for home-cooked meals for our families is always a good thing.
  • Good Will – Especially during this time we often speak of “good will towards men” and try to be friendlier with those around us.  As shy as I am I still try to wish those I encounter “Merry Christmas” or “Happy Holidays”.  But why does this effort stop with the last “Happy New Year”?  We don’t have to begin elaborate conversations with everyone we meet, but even a simple “hello” or “have a nice day” can cheer someone’s spirit.
  • Miracles – It is sometimes too easy to forget the core of Christmas and the miracle it is celebrating.  It is then too easy to stop recognizing miracles in our everyday lives.  Whether it’s through church or being present in our gratitude, miracles are granted all the time.  Be grateful for the gifts you receive and celebrate them.

While nothing can, or should, replace the glory of Christmas Day, I hope this list has given you some ideas for ways to continue the Christmas spirit throughout the year.  Most of all, I wish you and your families a very Merry Christmas.

“My idea of Christmas, whether old-fashioned or modern, is very simple: loving others.  Come to think of it, why do we have to wait for Christmas to do that?” – Bob Hope

 

10 Items for Your 2pm Work Kit

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Work Kit

No matter how motivated my morning is, by 2pm I’m ready to fall asleep at my desk.  If you’re in the same boat, try making your own pick-me-up work kit to kick your productivity back into gear.  Here are 10 items to include:

  1. Healthy snack – try a small 100 calorie protein + fiber snack (like an apple with peanut butter)
  2. Coffee/tea – savor a last cup of the day (caffeine takes several hours to wear off and can interrupt sleep)
  3. Dark chocolate square – because it’s a super food and we all know chocolate is good for the soul
  4. Scented lotion/essential oils – try a fun or refreshing scent, like lemon or peppermint, for a quick recharge
  5. Oil-absorbing wipes – give your skin an easy refresh with a cleansing pat down
  6. Comb/brush – getting your hair back in order can boost your mood a bit
  7. Gel eye cream – cool gels can help you wake up when drowsiness sets in
  8. Quote book – browse through your favorite inspiring quotes to focus your goals
  9. Stretching routine – take a moment to break away from your desk, take a walk, and stretch out your legs
  10. Upbeat playlist – choose your favorite songs and switch up your playlist to something positive for the rest of the afternoon

I hope this can help you power through the last few hours of your workday.  If you have any other items or habits to suggest, leave them in the comments below!

10 Ways to Clear Your Head When You Feel Overwhelmed

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Raise your hand if you’ve got too much on your mind.  Well, I can’t see you, but I’m going to take an educated guess that you know the feeling of being overwhelmed.  When things start to get crazy, try one of these methods to break through the mental stress and recover your focus.

Clear Your Head

1) journal – use an old fashioned journal to document your thoughts and daily events
2) brain dump – take 60 seconds to write down everything and anything that comes to mind to review later
3) write a letter – if you’re frustrated with someone, write a letter explaining how you feel (but don’t send it)
4) doodle – take a mental break and sketch out whatever comes to mind
5) record yourself – practice a presentation or song so you’re not replaying it in your head all day
6) mind map – get a handle on your various priorities by mapping out tasks and thoughts
7) create a flow chart – if you’re stuck on a decision or planning, a flow chart can help you organize your thoughts
8) answer questions – to solve a problem, ask yourself the “5 why’s” until you can find a root cause
9) vent – sometimes it’s best to find a good friend (or pet) who you can vent with (just be sure to give warning)
10) write a list! – whether it’s a strategic list or a list of fun things to pass the time, lists are an excellent mind-clearing tool

Of this list, my favorite is the brain dump (mine usually end up in the form of lists anyway).  So give these a try and see which is your favorite.  Once your mind is clear, try simple meditation techniques or a motivating playlist to get back on track.

Do you have any other tools you use when you feel overwhelmed?  Please share in the comments!

How to Make Life Feel More Like College

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Sometimes I wish I could go back to college.  Yes, adult life is fine and dandy most of the time, but I miss the freedom and fun of college.  You get this feeling that you can learn anything, do anything, take on the world.  I think after settling into full-time jobs we start to let routine convince us that it’s not about the excitement anymore.  So if you’re missing your alma mater, check out some of these ideas on how you can make life more like college.

  • Continuous Learning
    • Open Courseware – Search online and you’ll find tons of (mostly) free courses you can take on your own time to learn nearly any subject.
    • Learning Apps – Duolingo, Memrise, and TED are just a few examples of apps that can teach you in minutes a day.
    • Library – Nothing beats walking into a room full of books knowing you can learn just about anything.
    • Night Courses – Check out your local colleges for certification or degree courses you can take part-time.
    • Summer Sessions – Colleges and professional associations offer summer and/or short courses that can advance your skills.
  • Clubs & Extracurricular Activities
    • Community Recreation – Check out local sports teams or classes you can join in your town/city.
    • Professional/Technical Associations – Many careers are represented by professional associations with local chapters that put on events.
    • Groupon/Living Social/Amazon Local (Discount Classes) – If you’re interested in trying out a new hobby, search out a good discount.
    • Local Fitness/Dance/Activity Centers – These classes aren’t just for kids; rally some friends and try something new.
    • Start a Club – Always wanted a book club?  What about a cooking club?  Send out word and see if other people share your interests.
    • Pursue a Hobby – Is there a hobby you’ve always wanted to try?  Set aside an hour or two a week and dedicate it to mastering a skill.
  • Dining Hall Buffet
    • Host an International Potluck – Invite friends to bring dishes representing different cultures for a fun party theme.
    • Search for Highly-Rated Local Buffets – Try to look past the age-old Chinese buffets and use Yelp to find a fun, casual dinner.
    • Search Out New Recipes – Recreate some old college favorites or try your hand at a dish you’ve always wanted to sample.
    • Go to a Brunch Buffet – The adult version of the dining hall, complete with food you’ll actually enjoy waking up for.
  • Social Groups
    • Start a Weekly/Monthly Social Gathering – Whether it’s a club or just for fun, schedule routine time with friends on a regular basis.
    • Keep a Running Group FB Conversation – If you’re far from your friends, set up a group chat where you can stay connected.
    • Start a Social Text for Weekend Planning – Found a festival to visit?  Spread the word quickly to your favorite friends group.
    • Attend Networking Events – Many professional associations host community networking events where you can meet those who share your career goals.

College Life

  • Advisors
    • Find a Mentor – Whether they’re from your company or elsewhere, make contact with someone and ask them to share expertise.
    • Professional/Technical Associations – These groups can help match you up with an experienced professional to offer advise.
    • Research SME Blogs – Subject Matter Experts (SME’s) are often found on popular blogs and can provide guidance and tips.
  • Campus Resources
    • Spend the Afternoon at a Park – If you’re missing lazy days hanging out on the Quad, try taking a book or frisbee to your local park.
    • Visit the Library – Yes, so important it’s on here twice.  Spend a quiet afternoon at the library to focus on your projects.
    • Set Up a Study Center – If you’re taking classes, create a study haven in your home by sectioning off a desk area and organizing it to your study habits.
    • Watch School Sporting Events – Do you wear your school colors every season?  Look for your team online or live and root for your alma mater.
  • Purpose & Goals
    • Look for Opportunities – In college, we see opportunities to do fun or advancing activities all the time.  Do your homework and brainstorm all of the opportunities you could take.  Leave nothing out – you never know when the timing will be right.
    • Write Down Your Life Plan – Maybe you had big goals in college.  Remind yourself of them by writing down your life plan from this point forward.  Be as broad or specific as you like, but be sure to start planning for your goals and taking action.
    • Allow Yourself to Dream – One of the things I miss most about college is the feeling that I could go on to do anything.  Recover that feeling by allowing yourself to picture your “dream life”: the “perfect” day, the dream job, the dream house, etc.  Use these visions to set goals to work towards.

There’s no reason we have to give up that freedom and spontaneity we felt when we were 20.  It’s just a matter of working the features that you enjoyed into your everyday life.

The Secret to an Easier Morning: Kitting

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How does your morning typically go?  Likely scenario: you snooze through the alarm (alarms?), scavenge through your dresser drawers for an outfit, root through your makeup bag, and quickly gather up your work supplies and maybe a granola bar before you head out the door.  As much as we’d like to have a calm, organized start to our day we begin with too many decisions and too many items to remember.  Thankfully, I have a solution for this.  It’s called “kitting”.

When assembling a launch vehicle (rocket), there can be hundreds of parts that go into the installation of a single component.  On top of that you’re trying to follow a detailed procedure, monitor safety, check quality, and juggle an array of tools and equipment. That’s a lot of keep track of, especially when you consider that a single missing piece can lead to catastrophic failure.  So, rather than continuously running to grab parts and tools as needed, we create “kits” containing everything we need to complete a single task.  These boxes are checked ahead of time to make sure every part is accounted for, so all we need to do is show up with our procedures and get right to work.

So how does building a rocket relate to your morning rush?  You can create kits of your own to make your day run more efficiently.  Imagine how much more smoothly your morning would go with the following kits:

– A guided checklist detailing outfit items to pick out the night before (articles of clothing, undergarments, jewelry, footwear, etc)
– An outwear kit: scarves, gloves, earmuffs, umbrellas, rainboots, sunscreen
– An “everyday” makeup bin: foundation, concealer, mascara, blush, brushes, etc
– A purse essentials kit: makeup bag(s) containing wallet, keys, chargers, chapstick, tissues for easy switching
– A “grab and go” breakfast kit: ziploc bags containing oatmeal, dried fruits, cereal, nuts, spoon, napkin, bowl

Kitting

The trick to these kits is to not only include the main items (like the oatmeal) but also the supporting items you’d forget in the moment (like the spoon and bowl).  The more complete they are, the less work you have to do to use them.  Here’s how to set one up:

1) Choose an action you’d like to simplify (ex. cleaning the bathrooms)
2) Brainstorm all of the items you use to complete the action.  In our example that could include: glass cleaner, floor cleaner, disinfectant, toilet bowl cleaner, toilet brush, sponges, paper towels, air fresheners, mop, trash bags, toilet paper, clean towels, rubber gloves, and hand soap
3) Identify which items you can store together permanently and which would be impractical to kit (ex. mop, towels).  The latter can be included via a checklist.
4) Find a container to house your kit.  This can be a box, bin, basket, shelf, room section, or a bag.  Make sure it’s big enough to contain all of the items you need but small enough it’s portable if you need it to be.  Locate extra items close by.
5) Build your kit.  Include any checklists you need (instructions and/or reminders of additional items needed).

Here are some ideas for other kits you can create:

– Study kit: pens, pencils, highlighters, white out, paper, snacks, headphones, playlists, professor contact info, textbooks, syllabi
– Craft kit: washi tape, transparent tape, scrapbook paper, scissors, ribbon, markers, loose fabric, layouts
– Home decorating kit: command strips, nails, hammer, level, pencils, stud finder, magic eraser
– Airline travel kit: neck pillow, blanket, eye mask, ear plugs, snacks, headphones, hand sanitizing wipes, chapstick, travel bottle, first aid kit
– Stationery kit: stamps, envelopes (multiple sizes), address labels, address book, notepaper, greeting cards, pens, post office schedule
– De-stress kit: journal/pen, meditation music, bath soaks, aromatherapy oils, sketchpad, emergency chocolate

Be creative and you’ll think of plenty more ways to organize with kits (for further ideas, check out my post on 10 new uses for makeup bags).  The goal is to reduce the amount of time you spend searching for things so you can move through the day smoothly and efficiently.  Good luck, and happy kitting!