The Christmas season is a busy time for everyone.  There is no getting around it.  So much to do and so little time as the saying goes.  Nothing could be more true when you spend much of your time working.  I’ve been a working mom for 22 years now.  It’s really hard to believe!  That means 22 years of demanding bosses, demanding customers, and certainly demanding children.  Along the way, I’ve picked up some tips to help Juggle it all.

So…………if you still have pumpkins on your front porch, lots of projects to complete at work, and a long list of gifts to purchase………..fear not!  You’ve got this.

 

 

7 Christmas Organization Secrets for Working Moms

1. Kids come first.  This one seems obvious, but in our efforts to get things done, the kids can easily get lost in the shuffle.  There is no “perfect” Christmas unless you make the kids your priority throughout the season.  As a busy working mom, I often have lots of decisions to make like, “Should I go to the Cub Scout meeting with my son or use that meeting time to do a little shopping for my family?”  The choice I always make is spend more time with my family whenever that is an option.  I also like to spend time snuggling with my kids each night with our Countdown to Christmas reading tradition. It’s simply a matter of making sure that I establish and stick to priorities for my family.

2. Take a day or two off from work.  Each year I like to take off a day or two from work while the kids are still at school before Christmas.  This isn’t possible for everyone, but this really helps me.  I can get so much done when the kids are not around.  Lots of shopping and wrapping and candy making are easily accomplished when I am able to have single-minded Christmas focus.  When my kids were little, I would take the kids to daycare, work quickly to complete tasks, and still have time to pick them up early for extra hugging.  One more tip……..Don’t tell friends and family that you are taking the day off.  This is a special Christmas work day.  It’s not social time.

3. Use your lunch break to get things done.  I have lots of working mom friends who spend their lunch break ordering and eating lunch out.  I personally can’t stand to waste that time.  I prefer to pack a real food lunch to bring to work and use the time to accomplish Christmas tasks.  I address Christmas cards, order gifts, review my budget, and even plan my Christmas décor while munching on my lunch.  Lunch is found time when you are really busy.

4. Order gifts online.  Not an original idea I know, but ordering online or at least doing research for gifts online is such a time saver.  I also love that I can have gifts shipped to me at work and the kids don’t need to know anything about them.  One year I ordered an air-pop popcorn popper for my husband for Christmas and I arrived home to find it on the step in the original box.  You could see exactly what the gift was!  Have a plan in case this happens to you.  You don’t want the UPS man spoiling any Christmas surprises for your little ones.

5. Have kids help decorate the house.  Sure, you could spend lots and lots of time researching the perfect holiday décor for your home on Pinterest, but if you are really busy simplify.  The beauty of keeping it simple is that the kids can help you decorate the house.  Make some hot chocolate, put some Christmas music on, and have some fun decking the halls together.

6. Run your family like you run your business.  Share calendars and to-do lists with your spouse.  It’s easy to do electronically.  Set calendar reminders.  There is a lot to remember this time of year.  Make sure you give yourself lots of reminders so that little Johnny isn’t the only one in the class without gingerbread house supplies when they start their fun project.  Schedule a meeting with your spouse about what holiday prep needs to be done for the week.  Work together to complete those tasks.  Set a budget together and review each week to make sure you stay on track.

7. Make time for church.  Jesus is the reason for the season.  Avoid scheduling holiday tasks during church time.  You need the time to refresh and be with God.  Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” (Matthew 19:26 NIV)  I always worry that this will be the year that I don’t get everything done.  God always comes through for me.

What tips would you share for other working mommas?  How are you able to get everything done and keep your sanity?  What are some of your favorite Christmas traditions??  Leave me a comment and let’s get the conversation going.

Since I always want you to be thinking about eating real food…………..If you are looking for help in making the transition to eating more real food, you should check out the Real Food Experience posts. You can get started at the beginning or jump around the challenges. You can find a complete round-up of the program here. Each week’s challenge is full of terrific advice to help you transition from fast and processed food to a real food diet. Changes that will help you to live a healthy lifestyle and have the energy to keep up with your busy schedule. I would also love for you to join me on social media. You can find me on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram on a regular basis. Leave me a comment and let me know you are there. I love to visit with my readers.