In the middle of Holiday traditions and a full schedule, you are still you. You still have personal goals and business/career goals. What if your personal goal is to eat better and hit the gym, yet December is filled with extra parties, eating out, and treats everywhere? What if your goal is to grow your business, but your business isn’t retail oriented, you have a service business? What if you have year- end deadlines at work, but you don’t have the extra time?

These challenges require mastering your mindset. You don’t have to set aside what is really important to you because it is the holiday season. You can find ways to stay on course and still have fun, relax, and enjoy your friends, families, and traditions.

First, let’s get in the right frame of mind. Instead of thinking, How am I going to get all of this done? Close your eyes and take a few breaths, do a few shoulder rolls, massage your temples, and then open your eyes and grab a piece of paper.  Make three columns. The first is a data dump. List everything on your mind in bullets using short three to five word descriptions. The 2^nd column is your top ten priorities from your data dump. The third column is a list of what you would like to do if there were no rules or requirements (let your imagination go a little crazy).  Only spend 10 to 20 minutes on this.

Then, get another piece of paper and write out a fantasy description of your version of a perfect December. Write what you will do, what happens, what it feels like.  Only spend 10 to 20 minutes on this. If you really get going and want to spend a little extra time, that is okay, too.

Notice how you feel? You have owned your power over your schedule. You can see you have choice and possibilities.

The next step is to grab your calendar, and plunk everything in. Be sure to include time blocked out for exercise, meal planning, being creative, and adequate sleep.

Here are my own top 15 tips for having a fantastic December. You can create your own, but this is what I do.

1. Create and/or maintain a daily success ritual that you do every morning. This keeps your mindset on track for success.
2. Remember what the season really means to you.
3. Create a one page task list for your business or job with all significant projects, due dates, tasks, etc. Keep it close.
4. Create an xcel spreadsheet with all of your bills, balances, due dates, scheduled payment dates, and checking account you are using for the payments (if you have more than one) so you can view it on one page. Schedule all of your payments for the month (or set up auto bill pay). Set a date to update this once a month. You will spend just a few minutes and minimize missed payments or over drafts. You could use an app for this, but because I have so many bank accounts and businesses, I like creating the spreadsheet. If you wonder what will be going through your bank accounts on a particular date, pull up your sheet.
5. Eat healthy more than 50% of the time, for example 4 or 5 days out of 7. This better than binging or overeating for 31 days straight. Plus drink a lot of water.
6. Take a quick walk after dinner (even ten minutes). Exercise twice a week (three or four would be better, but twice is better than none). If you sit at a computer, get up every hour and stretch or walk around.
7. Listen to amazing music (at this time of year, I choose holiday music).
8. Drive for a few minutes with your sun roof open or the windows down when the sun is out, even if it is cold. (I recently drove for an hour with my sun roof open when it was 37 degrees Fahrenheit and it was exhilarating).
9. Give yourself a couple of hours to create and visualize your goals for 2017.
10. Make time for your people. Have good conversations and fun times. Be open to new traditions as well as keeping up your favorites.
11. When it comes to cooking, keep it simple and delicious. On Christmas Eve I do a soup buffet with two or three different soups, appetizers, wine, desserts, and cheese. The same rule applies for baking. I bake only up to three types of cookies, sometimes it is only one. Participate in a cookie exchange for more diversity, or buy.
12. Give in a meaningful way to charities of your choice or even help a family directly. Tip extra to people in the service industry.
13. Keep a list of people and presents using the list app from Google called Keep. That way you won’t miss someone and you won’t over buy. Tip: Set a gift budget and stick to it within reason. I am okay if I go up to 10% over my budget.
14. Wrap everything during one wrapping session. Gather all of your supplies, pour some wine, listen to music, wrap and enjoy. Or have someone else wrap everything.
15. Make it okay to delete, delegate, or put tasks on the back burner to maintain your inner peace. Relax more.

If you liked these tips, you will love my Mindset Mastery Quick Start Click Here

Save the dates December 5-17: 12 Days of Christmas Event on here on this blog. Each day holds inspirational and motivating insight and actionable exercises along with free gifts and savings. Visit and comment to be entered into the drawing for a $50 Amazon gift card (Drawing will be held Dec 23).

Sheri Kaye Hoff

Coach, Trainer, and Author, Sheri Kaye Hoff, is a Business Coach known for inspiring massive action and a catalyst for personal and business growth, joy, and profits in a way that is fun, relaxing, and fulfilling, Sheri inspires people to do the work they love and make more money. Sheri helps business owners and professionals to relax into success. She uses both spiritual and practical techniques to obliterate blocks and create dramatic change. She is a business, leadership, happiness, and inner game expert. She has overcome nearly dying, and the loss of her brother at an early age. She has made it her life mission to discover the keys to happiness and success and then share them with her clients and community. Learn More About Sheri