Is it just me, or does the time between Thanksgiving and the New Year just FLY BY!? Here are 7 things I recommend doing NOW, before time speeds up and you’re stressing to maintain life balance. 

1. Set Goals
   Let’s face it, people don’t stick to their New Year’s Resolutions. On average, “New Year’s Goals” last until mid-February. How sad, right? Instead of hyping up some new “thing” you want to do, or new goal  you want to achieve in the next year, try setting some goals NOW, ahead of time, and get going on them before the turn of the new year. Then when January 1st rolls around, you’re already ahead of the game, and beating the statistics that are stacked against you.
2. Clean Your House
   The holidays can be stressful enough, between cooking, and family members coming over, then BOOM the new year is here, and you just don’t want to be doing all of that with a messy and cluttered house. Not to mention, do you really want to start your year with a big to-do list? Now is the time to start going through closets, under the sink, bins in the garage and get rid of the clutter. This will leave you feeling mentally clear and prepared to crush your day-to-day goals. 
3. Get Going on a Health Plan
   If you aren’t already, start eating healthy and getting in some extra exercise. There is no shortage of cookies and carbs this time of year, and you don’t want to find yourself not fitting into those jeans by Christmas Day. Don’t do the whole, “I can eat this entire box of cookies, because I’m going to start my diet on January 1st” THING. All your doing is making it harder for you to reach your goals later, and you’re setting a bad precedent for yourself. If you start now, and then give yourself a cheat meal/day on Thanksgiving and Christmas, you are much more likely to continue on with your health goals after your ‘cheat!’
4. Make a PHYSICAL BUDGET
   Read in the voice of The Grinch: “Gifts, Gifts, Gifts, Gifts, Gifts!” Ya’ll, I am a GIFT GIVER! I love giving gifts to everyone, big or small. It’s not a bad thing, but it’s not always a great look for my pocket book. This time of year, while not the reason for the season, I enjoy buying, wrapping, and giving gifts more than ever! From the sales surrounding us, to the “stuff” culture in general that Nov-January brings, it’s easy to get carried away. I’m sure some of you have already started your Christmas shopping, and I’m sure some of you are already done, but if not, go ahead and take a good hard look at your budget NOW before you go overboard. I recommend writing this budget down and formulating a way to track it by hand, rather than just saying, “Okay, my Christmas budget is XYZ.” Pick a number that you are comfortable with, and stick to that. No need to start off the new year with debt induced stress. 
5. Slow Your Roll
   Girl, SLOW DOWN! Life is already so fast paced. I could talk for years on this subject, but I’ll spare you. Instead, I’ll just say, we fill our schedules with so many THINGS, and even though those things are fun and sometimes necessary, we need to take some time for ourselves. Thanksgiving dinner, lunch, Friendsgiving, then a few Christmas parties, and family meals on multiple sides of the family, and then shopping, and working out, and your normal to-do list, and oh don’t forget work…. It’s never ending. Be sure to pencil in some time to breath, chill out, relax, and just be happy in silence for a moment. (My preferred CHILL method is to drink wine in my bed and watch cheesy Christmas Hallmark movies. 10/10 recommend.) 
6. Be Thankful
   After all, this is THANKSGIVING right? I don’t mean to be cliche, and of course we should always be thankful, but maybe take some time during your daily affirmations to jot down what you are thankful for. In this busy life, things like a daily coffee run, a meal on your table, and a night out on the town seem so normal. We forget that some people don’t have a few extra bucks everyday for coffee. Some people won’t be spending Thanksgiving with friends or family. Some people in this world don’t even have clean water. While life isn’t perfect, and you may find yourself complaining at times, remember how lucky you really are. If you are reading this blog right now, on any device at all, you are blessed. Thank God for your life and meditate on how grateful you are for the life you have been given. 
7. Get a New Planner
   Okay, okay, yes, I know I sell a planner, BUT, there is nothing worse than starting the new year off with NO PLAN. Don’t wait until the last minute to pick and purchase a new planner for the year. Doing this by Thanksgiving, gives you some time to start adding in things for the upcoming year!
   Shameless Plug: If you are looking for a durable  planner that is all inclusive and will truly help you balance your work life with your personal life, the Stay Beautifully Balanced planner is the one. Health goals? Got it covered. Meal planner? Check. Weekly and monthly spreads? YUP. Beauty Log? Oh yea. Cleaning planner? Got that too. Seriously, ya’ll. I made this planner for LIFE BALANCE, and that is exactly what it does. Have any questions about my planner at all? Leave a comment!