The week following Thanksgiving here in the United States has become a transition point for people, both professionally and personally. It starts a shift from the “regular year” into a full blown holiday season. Whether you celebrate Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, or nothing at all, you can’t ignore the flurry of activity, events, and sometimes crushing “noise.”

This transition from “regular” into the holiday/end of year/resolution-ready period that concludes sometime soon after January 1 contains the peril of overwhelming us. We rush around buying gifts, planning parties, sending cards, compiling year-end reports, trying to spend budgets before it’s too late while determining next year’s budget…. You get what I’m saying.

This week’s missive is a suggestion for you for simplicity. When you find yourself rushing or frenzied; anxious or scared; flustered or frantic…or just overwhelmed… then just stop. Stop and find a quiet spot physically and mentally. Perform a quick triage – assess your situation, determine its level of urgency, take a deep breath, and calmly determine what to do next – after you’ve stopped and recharged.

I guarantee you’ll encounter opportunities to practice this. Those that don’t risk making mistakes or missing things that only add to the stress. Those that can discipline themselves to slow down and triage will find this final month of the year more relaxing, rewarding, and enjoyable. Which do you prefer?