The holidays are here and keeping up with all of the chaos that surrounds us can be extremely overwhelming. I know it is for me!

So what is the best way to handle all of the scheduling, shopping, visiting, cleaning, and all those other things that seem to keep piling up on us? The answer is simple really, one step at a time my friends.

It is now week four of our “Take Back Your Time” challenge and you are working small miracles in your life to say the least. Keeping up a schedule is a difficult task but well worth it once everyone starts to get into the flow of it.

We have systems flowing in our houses now and are using chore charts as well. But is that enough?  In my house the answer to that question would be a big “NO”!  We try, we really do, but keeping up the house with two small ones is not easy.

This week as I teach you to take it “One Step At A Time” I’m going to show you how to slow down a bit so that you don’t become overwhelmed by all of these changes. So let’s get started!!!

The last three weeks we have really focused on saving you some time and stress by limiting trips and the requirement to brainstorm when you are exhausted. Now that you are using those former three assignments to help you, you should be feeling less stressed.

Here is the change we have been looking for! Although you are working to keep EVERYTHING in its place and trying to keep the house up; today you need to take a step back and just take things one step at a time.

After you finish reading this paragraph go through you home and take a notebook and writing utensil with you. Make a list, which you can post in your office or on your refrigerator, of all the things that you want to get done around the house.  This can even include painting the bathroom, which would be on our list.

This is NOT a list that will be done in a weekend, unless of course you are one of the lucky few with little to do. I will be you someday I hope!  This list is meant to help you focus in on the next big project while maintaining the smaller ones.

These items could be pulled off of the scheduled things that you wanted to get done that we made up in week one. This list could be as simple as which room in the house you are doing a thorough cleaning to this week.

Posting this list allows others in the house to know what the goal is and how they can help. Believe me, they all can help too!  If you wanted to you can break these projects down into age appropriate sub-categories.  Please look below for my ideas for little ones.

Put the list in order of importance to you. With the holidays quickly approaching this is a must!!! Be sure to look online for bake ahead items that you can freeze and keep well so you will be less stressed.

Prepare ahead as always. So relax and have the whole family get started on that next project.  Just keep it simple!

So there you have it. Keep it simple this week and just take things one step at a time.  You will be surprised at how much you can get done when you focus in on one project at a time.  Good luck and have a great relaxing week!

Ideas for working with little ones-linked here!