I made a work appointment in my diary this week for December and both I and the other person noted how quickly the days, weeks and months seem to fly by. I have mentioned to a few people lately that I often feel like I have whiplash at this time of year, when my brain still feels like it is in January but my diary appointments are at the end of the year!
And this is the time of year when the ‘to do list’ can often get longer. We can begin to think ahead for planning for next year and then also are thinking behind to everything we still need to complete before the end of the calendar year arrives. And then for many there are exams, or juggling young people through exams, end of year functions, for work, and schools, and clubs and everything else. Winter sports finishing and summer sports starting all at once and that doesn’t even mention Christmas! YES I used the C word. In my mind that is a December activity (or at least something that comes after Halloween/All Hallows Eve and Guy Fawkes/Parihaka commemorations) but it seems our shops have jumped the gun and are already trying to sell us Christmas trees and Christmas decorations. Before we know it the Easter eggs will be on the shelves.
And so life can feel overwhelming with a long list of tasks.
Of course, in the supervision space, I am mostly focussed on the tasks and roles of a workspace, but it is obvious that these other busy matters press into us at work, and also press in within our supervision conversations. While I encourage those I work with to be realistic, to set clear timeframes, to be kind to themselves and engage in self-care, this does not always assist in the realness of busy work and home spaces and the sense of so much to do and so little time, as the year keeps racing by.
So in this blog I am turning for some extra advice and wisdom from my colleague, Graeme Brock of Just leadership (https://justleadership.co.nz/). Graeme writes:
“We can be kind to our present-day selves and brutal to our future selves by mismanaging our calendar. Here are some tips to help.
1. Consider the planning fallacy. A cognitive bias that makes you optimistic in terms of the time and resources it will take to complete a future task. Add at least 50% more time than you think on the task.
2. White space in the calendar is your friend.
3. Consider what appointments and meetings will drain you. Build in time for recovery.
4. Create firebreaks throughout the year. Where I live, I drive past artificial firebreaks on forested hills, pieces of cleared land with bare soil acting as a barrier to slow or stop the spread of fire. If you hit the end of the year Christmas break exhausted, you have probably not built in any firebreaks throughout your year. Book them in early, book them after significant events, and book them regularly. Your family will thank you, your physical health will thank you, and your mental health will thank you. You will come back to work, mentally and physically refreshed.
5. Limit your schedule to the stuff that actually matters. Doing this means being strategic about ignoring some things and being comfortable with saying no.
6. Make appointments with yourself—book in your workouts, study and renewal.”
Wise words, thanks Graeme. So as we move into what can be known as the ‘silly’ season, I hope the above suggestions are helpful for the remainder of this year and moving into 2026, as you also find your own way of navigating the busy and work to avoid overwhelm (and whiplash) and find a peaceful way of moving through to your future.
Ngā mihi
Karen
