In order to maximize the chance for a winning experience, coaches develop a well thought-out game plan -- one that is flexible enough to respond to a variety of situations. In order to be most helpful, your game plan to navigate the holidays with IBS should focus on prioritizing tasks and scheduling in a reality-based way.
Prioritize
- Make a list of your most important responsibilities. Rather than having all of your have-tos banging around in your head, stressing you and your body out, write them down so that you can clearly see in black and white what you are expecting from yourself.
- Cross off any items from the bottom half of the list. Give yourself permission to not get to everything this year. For example, maybe this is the year you buy the pies, rather than make them from scratch. Its okay, everyone will survive, and most importantly, you will feel a reduced sense of pressure.
Schedule
- Take your symptoms into account when planning out your time. If you know you tend to feel worse in the morning, leave that time open for self care. Make your commitments and schedule the items on your to-do list for afternoons and evenings.
- Use a day planner. Sit down with a calendar and take a realistic look at what you can get done and when. Assign tasks to open chunks of time, then stick to it. Don’t scurry around trying to fit in “just one more thing.” Do what you planned, and then take a well-earned rest.
