Organise Me: 5 Tips for Avoiding Burn Out in the Lead Up to the Silly Season

It still might feel like there’s plenty of time before Christmas and the deadlines - both self-imposed and actual! - that come with the end of the year are upon us. But it never hurts to have a game plan going in to this crazy time, to avoid burn out and end 2013 on a high note.

Here are my tips for avoiding burn out:

• Get a to-do list note pad and a printed calendar Take 10 minutes to write down all the things you know you have to get ready before the end of the year, both for home and work. Mark them in different colours if you like, and then schedule them into your calendar. Put a reminder in your phone if it helps. It may seem overwhelming now, but better the devil you know.

• Schedule some down time As things get busier the time for fun seems to disappear. So block out time in your calendar to go do something fun that’s just for you. After a long winter it's the perfect time to get out in the sunshine and it does wonders for your health.

• Keep hydrated and well fed Try to eat properly and make sure to drink water as the weather heats up - nothing is more exhausting than feeling dehydrated in a meeting you should be paying attention to.
• Be willing to say no Around this time of year, requests may come in thick and fast for little things that aren’t really what you should be focusing on. Be ready to say no to those that aren’t the right fit, or see if you can reschedule for the new year. It won’t always work, but being ready to offer an alternative to ‘right now’ can be really helpful.
• Be kind to yourself Don’t forget to take care of you. Buy presents online if you can't fathom the crowds (even if you want to support local and handmade this year, there are many online stores that will deliver to your home or workplace!). And keep in mind that couch time is an essential part of recharging and not just wasted time.

Remembering that last step is definitely key for me. Hopefully these tips will help you to not feel so stressed as the busy season approaches and lets us all avoid that burn out that comes when we feel overwhelmed. May the warmer weather bring some time to get out and enjoy it.

Dannielle is a blogger, serial organiser and passionate traveller. She has a secret love of ’90s teen movies and can often be found on Twitter. In 2013, Dannielle packed up her life in Melbourne into one suitcase and moved to Canada to make her crazy dream of a more adventurous life happen. But she quickly found the inspiration she was searching for was in Melbourne and has returned home. She’s recently started a new project on creating a happy (organised) home which you can see here.