The holidays can be a busy time of the year for all of us, however, just because I have more on my to-do list doesn’t mean I have any less on my to-do for my husband list. And, his stuff is usually non-negotiable, it must be done regardless. In trying to keep up with everything, I have developed a couple of questions I can ask that help prioritize my day. Those questions are “must this be done now?”, “is there an easier way to get it done?”, and “am I the right person to do this?”   

Sometimes it just comes down to timing. My husband got up one morning and decided it was the day to put up our Christmas tree. This is an activity we once shared, now he holds the door while I bring in boxes from the garage, watches while I put the tree together and then lets me decorate it. I delayed for a couple of hours to get our basic tasks completed before getting started. The result was that I got the tree up, then took a break for several hours before tackling the ornaments. I realize it did need to be done, but I was able to work on it over a period of time to make it easier. I knew that no one else was going to come and do it for me.

There are times when I have to tell my husband “no, I just can’t take care of that.” He understands and would prefer I let him know how I feel rather than go ahead and try to do something I shouldn’t. We had an example of that recently when the garage door started to beep during breakfast. I told him that I would check on it after we finished our morning routine. Once I got to it, I was able to troubleshoot the problem but didn’t feel safe taking on the repair. We called a technician who arrived within a few hours and the beeping went away.

I know my capabilities and my capacity and recognize that those things can vary based on how our day is going. If I remember that it’s okay to delay, simplify and delegate, then things that absolutely must be done will always get done, and I won’t become overwhelmed and grumpy in the process.