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            The holidays are here and along with them come some minor distractions. Like an amazon flash sale that does not align with your break time, but your mom really wants the iRobot Roomba for Christmas. We get it, we have all been there trying to juggle the holiday dinners, work tasks, and the items you forgot to pick up at the grocery store last night. Below you will find some tips on how to juggle the holiday madness while crushing it at work.

  1. Draw A Flowchart

Many people are fans of the classic to-do list. However, if you like to keep things even more organized, I suggest a flowchart. A flowchart is different from a to-do list because you are going to make different sections and then a list of tasks underneath. The key is to make the chart horizontal because it will be an easier visual representation of the tasks you have to accomplish. For this week I had three sections to my chart: Work, Family, & Personnel. Then underneath I listed all my tasks I need to accomplish for this “section” of my life. I like to list these tasks in order of importance. An example would be that writing a blog that has to get posted tomorrow is more important than making an email list that will be used in two weeks.

            It is important to include dates and times along with each task, so you know right away if you need to reschedule or gather more information about the task.

            Now, some of you are thinking how is this any different than multiple to-do lists? The key is that since the chart it is built horizontally is going to give you the ability to see everything you have to do, but in sections, and the most important tasks are right there for you to tackle. You can also use the chart in however you want. You can choose to work on one section at a time, or all of your most important tasks across the board. The chart gives you the ability to work through your tasks how you want to rather than making a giant list and trying to chip away at them one by one, possibly missing something important.

  1. Be in The Moment

If you are at work, focus on work tasks. If you are with family, focus on the family and making memories. If you are at the grocery store, focus on grocery shopping so you do not have to go back.

            Being present in all things that we do will not only help us complete the task faster, but it will also ease the stress of other tasks you have to complete.

  1. Take Breaks

            Last but certainly not least, make sure to take a break when you start to lose focus. Here at Tee Jay our shop is connected to our office space, meaning there are a lot of ways to get from one place to another. If I notice I am starting to lose focus I will go, get a fresh cup of water but take the long way to get to the water fountain.

            It gets my body moving and helps me refocus on the task I need to accomplish.