adhd and holidays Archives - Ellen's Blog, Professional Organizing for Kingwood & Houston

The beginning of October ushers in the holiday season. The joy of the season is amplified by preparation. Many extra tasks and projects can be a mix of joy and stress. With intention, planning, and organization, you can create a holiday season that’s meaningful, enjoyable, and even relaxing. Here are 25 ways to get ready for the holidays so you can spend less time worrying and more time celebrating.

Home & Décor

Declutter before decorating . It is time to refresh you space before you start to decorate. Clear out old or unused items so your home feels fresh and ready for seasonal décor. Let go of decor you have not used in several years.
Check your holiday decorations. Inventory what you have so you know what you need. Test lights, organize ornaments, and repair or replace anything broken.
Think through your decorating plan. Each year brings a new approach to your decorating. Update your plan and decide which areas of your home you’ll decorate. Remember to keep it simple if you have less time and energy.
Set up a wrapping station. Make it easy and fun to do the required tasks. A wrapping station consolidates all your tools and materials. Keep tape, scissors, tags, and wrapping paper in one place.
Gather a team for cleaning and decorating. Remember that a team effort will help you enjoy the time together and be efficient.

Food & Entertaining

Plan your holiday treats and meals with simplicity. It’s easiest to focus on your family recipes if you have help with semi-homemade extras. Write menus and grocery lists now to avoid last-minute stress. Use curb side delivery for easy shopping.
Stock your pantry with essentials. Know your stock and keep it fresh. Pull out recipes early to stock what is needed.
Prep freezer-friendly dishes. Your menu can include easy-to-prepare recipes that can be duplicated to save time. Soups, casseroles, and cookie dough freeze well and save time later.
Plan ahead for homemade gifts. Write out your holiday treat giving on your calendar to plan for time to purchase, bake, and deliver your treat.
Check serving dishes and cookware. Make sure you have enough platters, roasting pans, and storage containers.

Gifts & Shopping Lists

Create a gift list that follows your budget. Write down recipients and brainstorm gift ideas in advance. Think about family games and puzzles as gifts that bring people together.
Set a holiday budget. Especially this year, finances are tight. Decide what you’ll spend on gifts, food, travel, and events to avoid overspending. Track your expenses on an app or spreadsheet to keep up with a tally.
Shop your gift closet. It is time to use all those gifts you picked up all year.
Order online early and track your items. Many times deliveries happen without boxes being opened. Shop, inventory, and then wrap throughout the season.
The joy of the season is in wrapping and delivering. Wrap gifts as you buy them instead of waiting until the night before and set a date on your calendar to deliver.

Family & Traditions

Host a family meeting to set dates. Block off dates for school concerts, family gatherings, and community events.
At your family meeting, prioritize traditions. Have everyone share what is their favorite holiday event. Decide which rituals matter most to your family and let go of extras that cause stress.
Schedule time to reflect and reset. Protect family evenings for rest, games, or movies together.
Prepare for holiday traditions with shopping lists. Use curbside delivery for help.
Don’t forget family fun that brings everyone togther. Holiday outdoor light scavenger hunts, baking breads and cookies, and volunteering together are ways to spend time together.

Self-Care & Peace of Mind

Plan your attire for the holidays. Make this easy by assembling your holiday attire together in your closet.
Keep gift cards ready. Having extra cards available and low amount gift cards makes gift giving easier.
Get to the airport early and have your playlist ready. Arriving early makes parking and getting through the check in process less stressful.
Bring your holiday intentions to life by setting happy boundaries. Reflect on what is meaningful to you and follow your intentions with a polite no. Overcommitment leads to frustration and aggitation.
Focus on gratitude. Writing in a holiday journal, you can share what you’re thankful for. Many families have a gratitude jar for the holiday season.

The holiday season doesn’t have to feel overwhelming. With a little preparation and lots of intention, you can enjoy more of what truly matters most. By prioritizing time with family and friends, meaningful traditions, and the season’s spirit, you have the most joyful of holidays. Pick a few of these 25 strategies to start today, and you’ll be ready to celebrate with less stress and more joy.

The holiday season is a time of joy and celebration, bringing together spirituality and family. It can also be a time of stress and overwhelm for those with ADHD. There are so many more events to track and attend, lots of socializing, purchasing and organizing gift giving, food preparation, and decorating which all need to be started and completed in a short time frame. There may also be a bit of perfectionism with often accompanies executive function challenges with ADHD. With an ADHD-friendly approach to planning, you can enjoy a more relaxed and enjoyable holiday season.

Start Early: Begin with a Holiday Calendar

There is a lot of power to early planning and getting started on holiday events early. Giving yourself the extra time you need by starting early allows you to stretch out all the parts of the holiday season. Starting in early November, you can use your holiday calendar to outline all your commitments, including parties, family gatherings, and gift exchanges. With a visual strategy, you see upcoming events, where you might be overcommitted, and avoid last-minute hiccups that cause stress. Host a family meeting for everyone to share their one favorite holiday activity to ensure it is included in this year’s events. Post your paper calendar where everyone can see it and duplicate this information on everyone’s digital calendar. Start strong and end strong by checking this calendar every week and adding tasks to your task list.

Breaking It Down: The Art of Task Chunking

With so much to do during the holidays, it is easy to get overwhelmed and paralyzed. ADHD can make it difficult to tackle big tasks all at once. Make holiday preparation more manageable by breaking each part of holiday preparation into smaller, actionable steps. It is easier to focus on one area at a time. Segment your calendar with these chunks. A typical schedule might include one week with a single focus, such as a week for decorating, a week for gift purchasing, a week for food preparation, and a week of rest. This approach gives you the time you need for tasks and the opportunity to focus on one thing at a time. Use this approach with all the related holiday activities as well.

Tech-Savvy Solutions

The best gift you give yourself is the gift of tech-savvy solutions. Everything you can do with your devices, such as purchase and track gifts, make calendar reminders, and take photos to include your holiday decorations. Use a simple app to capture all of this information, such as Notes or Google Drive so you know where to find your information. Make albums in your photos app to include all of this information.

The Gift of Thoughtful and Meaningful Gifting

While giving gifts is thoughtful, it can be a major stressor during the holiday season. To make it easier, create a gift-giving strategy. Think about a universal gift for families, individuals, and co-workers. Remember that finding the perfect gift is not the goal of the holiday season. Keep it simple with a single homemade treat just to let know people that you are thinking of them.

Asking for Help: Bring on the Elves

Help is all around you. It is a matter of asking and being specific about the task. Support is here with local grocery stores and delivery services. Share food preparation responsibilities with your family and friends to enjoy the time together. This is also a time to stay connected to your therapist, coach, and professional organizer who all want to support you all through the year.

Prioritizing Your Well-Being

You have a lot on your plate all year long and holidays add even more. Holiday preparation is exhausting, especially for individuals with ADHD. Make your self-care a priority by keeping to your regular bedtime, maintaining a regular exercise routine, and time away from toxic people. Enjoy time outside to keep grounded and focused. Fill your home with the scents of the season to remind you of the joy of the holidays. Most especially this is a time of gratitude. Tap into deep-rooted gratitude with a daily record of “glimmers”. These are small moments of connection and joy that occur each day through the holidays. These glimmers give back to you the real meaning of the season.

Holiday preparation can be challenging for anyone, but individuals with ADHD face unique hurdles in managing holiday projects. Embrace the holiday spirit, and don’t forget to celebrate your accomplishments along the way. Wishing you a happy and stress-free holiday season!

Tag Archive for: adhd and holidays

25 Ways to Get Ready for the Holiday Season