The week before Thanksgiving is when I start saying, “I can fit that in,” about five times too many. There’s coaching work to finish, my family’s schedule to keep track of, and holiday plans to sort out. Each thing feels manageable on its own. Then I look at Thursday.
This year, I’m asking myself what I can make easier before the holidays get busy.
For me, that might mean deciding on Monday what my family will have for dinner on our busiest night. Leftovers or breakfast for dinner are both fine. I’m much happier making that decision over coffee than at 5:30 when we’re all hungry and I still have groceries to pick up for Thanksgiving.
It also means looking at my work calendar before I promise to finish something. If I’m preparing for a coaching session and trying to get a newsletter out before the holiday, I can give each task a spot on the calendar. If they both land on an already full day, I can move one while I still have room to make a choice.
I think about this from my years leading a team of advisors, too. A short workweek could make every open item feel urgent. It helped to ask, “Which families need to hear from us before the break, and what can we pick up when we’re back?” That gave everyone a clearer idea of where to spend their time before signing off.
Try this before Thanksgiving week
Take five minutes to look at the busiest day on your calendar. What’s one thing you could decide now, do earlier, hand off, or move until after the holiday?
If you’re hosting, give someone a specific job when they offer to help. “Could you bring rolls and pick up a bag of ice on the way?” is a request they can act on right away.
If you’re juggling groceries and errands, check the pantry and make one list for both Thanksgiving and your regular meals. Pick up the shelf-stable items on your next trip so the last-minute list is shorter.
If your family’s schedule is scattered across texts and emails, put the school dismissal time, travel plans, and dinner time in one shared note. Include who’s handling each pickup or errand.
If your teen has a project due after break, ask them to pick a twenty-minute window before the holiday to read the directions and outline the first step. Have them put the materials in one place so they can find everything when they return to it.
If you’re wrapping up work, spend the last ten minutes before signing off writing down where you left off and what you’ll tackle first when you get back. If you lead a team, send a quick note naming which decisions need to happen before the break and who’s handling them.
I want to enjoy Thanksgiving without spending half of it mentally running through my list. For me, that starts with choosing one thing I can take off Thursday’s plate now.
What’s one thing you could make easier for yourself before the holidays? I’d love to hear what works for you in the comments.
