Handle the Holidays Like a Time Management Guru

It takes some planning to make days off feel actually relaxing

Photo: 10'000 Hours/Getty Images

Holiday weeks sound great, in theory — a few days off work! More time to relax! The problem, as many of us relearn each year, is that if you’re already feeling pressed for time, taking Thursday and Friday off is not a stress-free activity. Rather than preparing to unwind, you’re staring at your calendar wondering if it is possible to cram a week’s deliverables into three days instead of five.

But the thing with holidays is that they occur at scheduled, regular times. In other words, we can plan for them. Here’s how I handle holiday weeks so that the days off actually feel like days off:

The New Way to Know When You’re Done With Work

Think at least a week in advance

Every Friday, I spend 20 minutes or so making a priority list for the upcoming week. I also look ahead to see if anything major is coming up. If any workweek over the next two to three weeks will be significantly shorter because of holidays, a vacation, or extensive appointments, I want…