Dashing Through the Holiday Season

The holiday season is well underway! How, where, and with whom you celebrate may look a bit different this year given that we are still in the middle of a pandemic. Taking the time to plan ahead and organize yourself, your space, and time can help with managing the holidays and keeping yourself in the present moment.

Um, I am a bit confused - You are a speech-language pathologist, right? So why are you talking about organization and planning?
Speech-language pathologists address many different skill sets - verbal expression, comprehension, voice, production of speech (just to name a few). But we also help individuals who struggle with aspects of cognition - decision-making, attention, memory, problem-solving, organization, and planning. These are skills that you use on a daily basis to complete tasks at work, have a conversation with family, drive, or to finish household routines. So it shouldn’t come as a surprise to know that cognitive skills are also very much needed during the holidays. Considering that all of us now need to keep the health and safety of our loved ones at the forefront of our minds now more than ever, cognition is going to be key to making thorough plans. And planning ahead equals reduced stress - which we can ALL benefit from right now. 

I guess that makes sense. What can I do to prepare for the holidays with friends and family? 

• Set clear expectations about gatherings or events with friends and family: This will involve setting aside time to think about logistics. Where will the holidays take place? At your home or perhaps a rental? Will you celebrate with immediate or extended family? Will some events take place inside or outside? Do you have access to protective supplies - gloves, masks, soap, hand sanitizer? If you have guests, will you implement requirements regarding use of protective supplies? Will you allow guests to bring their own dishes or meals? Whatever your responses are to these questions, communicate them clearly and early to those who are planning to spend the holidays with you. It provides you the time to structure your holiday experience on your own terms, but it also provides others with time to determine if they feel comfortable about participating. 
• Create a list, and check it more than twice: Once you have decided on the logistics, start determining what you need to make it happen. Make lists for food, dishware, decorations, protective supplies, cleaning supplies, or anything you need to make your holiday function without a hitch. Commit the list to paper, or if you’re more techy download a list app that you can share with others to make the shopping process smooth. 
• Set a budget: Many people skip this step, only to spend way more money than anticipated. Particularly if finances are tighter than usual this year, take the time to think through what you are prepared to spend and how you will spend it. This may mean “window shopping” beforehand on various websites and at stores to see where you can get deals or only focusing on high priority items (we don’t necessarily “need” everything we purchase around the holidays). Think about if purchases will be made by gift card, cash, or on a particular credit card. Also keep in mind your typical monthly expenses - will you have enough money to dedicate to holiday expenses while still maintaining payments for your regular bills? If not, you may need to cut back on your anticipated spending plans. 
• Shop early: We all know the feeling of not receiving a gift on time through the mail or perhaps going to the store and realizing a product is sold out. Once you decide on your lists and set budgets, get out there (in the real word or virtually)! Websites and stores with online presences may have incentives to help more people shop from home in order to support continued social distancing during the pandemic. If you have to go in a store, continue to “mask up” and plan to go during “off” hours (i.e., early in the morning or before closing) when there are likely to be fewer people present. 
• Select days in advance to tackle large tasks: Don’t try to clean your house, set up decorations, and cook all in one day. Plan ahead and dedicate tasks to specific days or delegate tasks to specific family members. Think of this strategy as “dividing and conquering”; you will get more done when you set aside time to focus on a given task versus worrying about how you will get everything done between sunrise and sunset. 
• Breathe: Life is stressful right now. Trying to maintain some level of normalcy during the holidays only adds to that level of stress. Remember to “breathe” - find time in your day and a space where you can escape and recharge. Whether that means implementing deep breathing techniques, meditating, drinking a cup of coffee/tea, watching a bit of TV, going for a walk, listening to music, or catching up with someone via text or by phone - do whatever you need to do to refill your energy. We pour out a lot of energy to other people and causes during this time of the year. But you can’t function unless you pour energy back into you - your cognition depends on it! 

Hopefully some of these tips not only help you get through the holiday season, but also inform you how big of a role cognition, speech, and language play in our ability to participate in the planning process. Let us know how the holiday prep is going! What’s working for you? Share your story by leaving a comment below!

References: 

The Bring! App: https://getbring.com/#!/app 

Headspace: https://www.headspace.com/