Hi John,

Do you feel more stressed and burned out during the holidays than joyful and grateful? Try applying the suggestions in today’s Q&A. As David Allen shares, the key to clearing your mind so you can focus on what truly matters lies in capturing all your tasks and commitments into a reliable system.
Tips to Manage a Busy Holiday Season
by David Allen

I'm already struggling to keep up with work, my kids' activities, and basic household tasks. I feel like I'm drowning, and now with Thanksgiving and Christmas coming up, I'm dreading all the extra shopping, cooking, decorating, and family obligations. I don't want to disappoint anyone, but I'm barely hanging on as it is. How can I handle it all without having a breakdown?

Signed,
Hot Mess

My guess is that the most important thing for you right now would be clarity—being clear about what you need to be doing right now and what’s OK for you not to be doing right now. But you can only feel good about what you’re not doing when you know everything you’re not doing. Being productive is not about working harder or longer hours. It’s really about being appropriately engaged with all your commitments in work and life.
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