Some tips on how to manage your time during the busy season to reduce stress and get everything done.

1. Christmas Time Management Tips
Garland Coulson “Captain Time”
cc: Sharon Drummond - https://www.flickr.com/photos/28085418@N07

2. When Your Name is “Garland”
• You get a LOT of Christmas
jokes!
cc: wbeem - https://www.flickr.com/photos/52254014@N00

3. My brother was always eager to “hang” me
cc: mlhradio - https://www.flickr.com/photos/16268809@N04

4. But I Still Love Christmascc: horizontal.integration - https://www.flickr.com/photos/97831130@N00

5. How Do You Save Time & Avoid Holiday Stress?
cc: Mancha Extraña - https://www.flickr.com/photos/62164357@N05

6. Plan Gifts with Family
• Decide on limits or if you even want
to exchange gifts
• Get a list of potential gifts people
want – give them what they want
instead of stressing over what to buy
cc: Vincent_AF - https://www.flickr.com/photos/25704219@N04

7. Start Planning Gifts Early
• I use OneNote to capture gift ideas
year round
• Use camera to take pictures of gifts
they like
• I often buy gifts by Sept/Oct especially
if they must be shipped
cc: reallyboring - https://www.flickr.com/photos/26582481@N08

8. Avoid shopping malls in December
• Take advantage of non-traditional work hours
cc: n.karim - https://www.flickr.com/photos/50603647@N04

9. Use Gift Certificates
• Let people get what they want
from their favourite stores
cc: Alan O'Rourke - https://www.flickr.com/photos/33524159@N00

10. Amazon Gift Certificates
• a good alternative as they sell
a wide range of products
cc: trekkyandy - https://www.flickr.com/photos/87054972@N00

11. Shop Online
• Use a neighbor or other family
members address if you want to
hide gifts
cc: AMIPCI - https://www.flickr.com/photos/49712501@N08

12. Make a List and Check it Twice
•OneNote
•Gift lists
•To do lists
•Fun ideas
•Invitation lists
•Food needed
•Decorations needed
cc: Daniel Kulinski - https://www.flickr.com/photos/7729940@N06

13. Batch Trips
• Batch together gift, food,
decorations purchases into as
few trips as possible.
cc: Ktoine - https://www.flickr.com/photos/49170045@N07

14. Get Help
• Enlist family members to help
• Use gift wrapping services
• Cleaning service
• Catering
• Delivery service
• Get others to pick things up for you
cc: betsyweber - https://www.flickr.com/photos/34666709@N00

15. Christmas Traditions
• Make a list
• Keep only the ones you truly
enjoy
cc: Glenn Waters ぐれんin Japan. - https://www.flickr.com/photos/23893265@N08

16. Our Christmas Traditions
•Old family traditions
•Home made donuts
•Turkey dinner
•New Traditions
•Christmas Sail By
•Winter Harp
cc: jdolenga - https://www.flickr.com/photos/51266464@N00

17. Christmas Baking
• Bake 1-2 months in advance
• Do a baking exchange
• Turn into a fun event with family
or friends
cc: Andrea Goh - https://www.flickr.com/photos/47845458@N08

18. Cooking
• Ask for help
• Even non-cooks can peel and cut
vegetables
• Gives you company and fun in the kitchen
cc: Jeff Kubina - https://www.flickr.com/photos/95118988@N00

19. Party Planning
•OneNote for
•Theme ideas
•Invitation list
•Needed items
cc: kevin dooley - https://www.flickr.com/photos/12836528@N00

20. Learn to Say No
• You don’t have to say yes to
every social event over the
season
cc: marc falardeau - https://www.flickr.com/photos/49889874@N05

21. Set a Cutoff Time
• A date after which there is no
more shopping or running
around, just working with what
you already have
cc: DafneCholet - https://www.flickr.com/photos/57113749@N07

22. Don’t Tie Everything to One Day
• Think of it as the “12 Days of
Christmas” or Christmas week
• A chance to see additional family or
friends
cc: Farid Iqbal - https://www.flickr.com/photos/96029652@N00

23. Bored Family Members
• Have additional entertainment options available
• Movies
• Board games
• Video games
• Suggest local activities (bowling, billiards, coffee shops, art
galleries, hiking, sledding)
cc: a4gpa - https://www.flickr.com/photos/94833286@N00

24. Open Houses
• Invite people for an open house come
over a block of time (1-5pm or 4-8 pm)
instead of for a dinner
• People can drop in for an hour or two
then do other things
cc: South Carolina State Library - https://www.flickr.com/photos/83771089@N00

25. Escape
• Pick a day or 2 over the holidays
to do something for yourself
cc: Witches Falls Cottages - https://www.flickr.com/photos/40282795@N05

26. After Christmas
• Debrief yourself
• Make a list of changes you want for
next year (OneNote)
• Schedule dates to do these changes
next year
cc: SullyDC - https://www.flickr.com/photos/58553501@N00

27. Merry Christmas from Captain Time!
cc: Kristin Marie Enns-Kavanagh - https://www.flickr.com/photos/35308425@N04
CaptainTime.com