Busy careers come at a price. Our personal projects pile up and our homes can slip into disarray. This toll seems to be magnified during the holiday season as both calendars and added responsibilities pile on.

There are two critical things that busy people need to survive the busy holiday season – and I’m not talking about eggnog and mistletoe. I’m talking about scaling back and recruiting help. I’d like to share some of my favourite tips related to both.

Scaling Back:

It is easy to go over-board at this time of year. But extravagant gifts and mountains of food don’t come close to reaping the intended benefits. Consider the law of diminishing returns and commit to stopping at “good enough” this holiday season.

Yes, it is nicer to make home-made cookies and to find the perfect gift for everyone on your list. However, maybe this is the time to choose the easier of two paths. Can store-bought delicacies and internet shopping suffice?

I really like sending out holiday cards but they turn into a huge endeavour if I’m not careful. This year, I have promised myself to make it as easy as possible. I arranged for a simple photo of the kids at the same place where I bought the cards. The cards are definitely not on a rich card-stock, but we received them the following day (and the adorable picture more than makes up for it). This weekend, we’ll be setting up an assembly line to get the cards stuffed, stamped and out the door (while eating store-bought cookies) without personalized messages (and I refuse to feel guilty about that). Definitely not perfect, but done.

Recruiting Help:

John Donne famously wrote “No man is an island”. This couldn’t be more true than around this time of year. Are you doing enough to recruit help and build a support team? There are lots of options to do so. Some are free and others cost money. Invest in yourself and commit some of your hard-earned money to making your life easier.

Here are some of my favourite tips for recruiting help:

Friends and Family: You can lean on this crew for all sorts of help with chores, errands, meal preparation and hosting. If you think they won’t do it as well as you would, remember the “good enough” suggestion above.

Local High-School Students: Are there any neighbourhood kids who could help you to get work done? For a low hourly rate, you can get an extra set of hands while they get to save up some money for their piggy bank. From wrapping gifts to chopping vegetables to assembling toys – there are countless jobs that they can help with.

Cleaning: Even if you find it somewhat cathartic to clean, there simply may not be enough time in your day. Consider bringing in some help or set up a family cleaning schedule. Although it isn’t always the most efficient, our kids seem to love vacuuming!

Meal Preparation: There are some great meal preparation services out there. Search the internet for some in your region. I’m a big fan of SupperWorks and will be ordering our ready-made holiday dinner from them. Also, consider taking turns preparing meals with family members. We’ve even heard of some neighbours doing a meal swap!

Online Groceries: Arrange to have groceries delivered to your door for only slightly more than you would otherwise pay at the store.

I hope these tips inspire you to focus on the important things: enjoying the holiday season with those you love. Please share if you have other ideas for sailing through the holidays!