This week, we're talking about strategies to stay focused before a holiday.

Here are 3 things you can do at the beginning of the week to make everything go more smoothly:

#1: Lean into self-awareness.

Recognizing our limits, strengths, and potential distractions helps us stay honest with ourselves about what we can do this week. Practicing self-honesty will help us avoid over-promising or getting upset with ourselves for not being able to do everything on our list. 

#2: Identify your priorities.

Towards the end of the year, prioritization becomes even more important. If you have time today, identify the most important tasks for the week and focus on completing them first. What needs to get done this week, and just as important: what can wait until next week?

#3: Get very clear about your goals.

Be really specific about what needs to get done and avoid vague goals. Choose smaller goals if you can. Getting clarity will help you make the most of your time so you won’t be sent down less-important “side quests.”

To help make decisions throughout the week, you can also ask yourself this simple questions: How do you want to feel at the end of the day on Wednesday?

Ask For Help

Here's another question that can help you (and the people around you) this week…

What can you do this week to either:

1. Offer support to someone else?

Maybe that’s someone at work, or a friend or family member. Is there something that’s easy for you to do that might really help someone else this week?

or…

2. Ask for support?

Is there something you can ask for help on? What task would benefit from a helping hand to push it past the finish line?

Stay Present to Finish the Week Strong

Making an effort to be present today through deep breathing and meditation can also help you stay in control of your nervous system before holiday stress begins to swirl.

Here’s a recorded meditation from Focused Space host Scott if you need a little guidance.

P.S. If you’re taking a break for the holiday, today might be a great day to squeeze in a few extra Community Sessions to really push your momentum and close out the week strong.

We hope you are able to take some time to rest over the next few days, and we'll be excited to see you next week to help you with the home stretch towards the end of the year!

— Alexis Hope from Focused Space

Top tips for how to make the most of a short week:

⚡️ Lean into self-awareness: Recognize your limits, strengths, and potential distractions to stay honest with yourself about what you can do this week

⚡ ️Identify your priorities: What needs to get done this week, and just as important — what can wait until next week?

⚡️ Get very clear about your goals: Be really specific. Choose smaller goals if you can.

⚡️ Ask for support, and offer some too: What help might you need this week? And, what is something that's easy for you to do that might really help someone else?