OPD is Real: The Holiday Hustle Survival Guide

Ah, the holidays! The time of year when everything sparkles—lights, trees, ornaments, even my overbooked calendar. It’s a season I love and look forward to…until I remember just how much there is to do. Between decking the halls, finding the perfect gifts, and fending off relatives’ side-eyes about your “creative” holiday traditions, the holiday hustle is real. And that’s before you even factor in the work madness—strategy meetings, year-end deadlines, and planning for the year ahead. Talk about a recipe for chaos.

The holidays don’t just test our patience—they tend to bring out all our little quirks. Enter OPD, or Ornament Placement Disorder. Yes, it’s real (at least in my house), and no, I won’t apologize for needing the tree to look just right. If we’re being honest, it’s easy to fall prey to seasonal perfectionism, leaving no room for yourself amidst the twinkling-light chaos.

So how do you survive the hustle—and keep that mischievous Elf on the Shelf from derailing your sanity? Read on for tips to make time for yourself and the ones you love, all while keeping your OPD in check.

Me Time: Saving Your Sanity, One Gingerbread Latte at a Time

The first rule of surviving the holiday hustle? Take care of yourself first—because you can’t pour from an empty cup. Especially if that cup is filled with peppermint mocha and holiday cheer. But carving out "me time" during this season is like finding a parking spot at the mall on Christmas Eve: tough, but possible.

1. Guarding Your Time: The Ultimate Gift

Our calendars aren’t just a scheduling tool—it’s your shield against holiday overwhelm. Be intentional about blocking out time for yourself, even if it’s just a 15-minute walk to clear your head or a quick yoga session at home. Think of it as an investment in your energy reserves, so you can tackle both work and holiday to-dos with your best self-intact.

And when it comes to meetings, it’s okay to pause and ask: Does this need to happen now? or Does this require me? Some meetings, like ugly sweaters, can be postponed or passed on entirely. Politely ask for an agenda so you can come prepared—or propose a more efficient time if your plate is already overflowing. Protecting our time isn’t slacking; it’s setting us up to give 100% when it truly matters.

2. Set Boundaries with Your Inner Elf

You don’t have to do all the things. (Yes, I said it.) Skip the hand-piped cookies and go straight for the pre-decorated gingerbread houses from the store. Or better yet, slap some frosting on graham crackers and call it “rustic.” Don’t fall prey to those TikTok baking videos with cookies so intricate they’d make a pastry chef cry. I almost did and had an Amazon cart full of piping bags and edible glitter before I remembered: My job is to enjoy the holidays, not audition for a holiday-themed baking competition.

3. Embrace the Power of the Strategic Escape

Holiday errands aren’t just about crossing items off your to-do list—they’re also a golden opportunity to sneak in some much-needed “me time.” Have a “secret errand” to run? Stretch it out just long enough to grab a solo coffee or stroll aimlessly through Home Goods. Sure, you might end up with a cart full of “necessary” throw pillows and candles (cha-ching!), but sometimes, retail therapy is its own form of self-care.

Bonus points if you linger in the candle aisle—because nothing says “holiday reset” like sniffing balsam fir and vanilla bean until your brain feels as light as a snowflake. And if anyone asks why it took so long, just smile and say, “Traffic.” No one needs to know the real reason you’re glowing with zen energy is that you spent 20 minutes debating between ‘Cinnamon Spice’ and ‘Frosted Peppermint.’

"Sometimes the most real things in the world are the things we can’t see."

Chris Van Allsburg, The Polar Express

We Time: Decking the Halls and Bonding Without Losing Your Mind

Once our own cups is full (or at least not totally empty), it’s time to focus on those we love most—our family, friends, and whoever gets caught under our mistletoe. The trick? Turn obligatory holiday tasks into opportunities for connection.

1. Turn Chores into Cheer

Instead of stressing about wrapping gifts solo at midnight, make it a family affair. Throw on a cheesy holiday movie, pass around the tape and scissors, and see who can create the ugliest wrapped gift. (To be fair, I’m willing to give into ugly wrapping for the sake of holiday cheer, but let’s not test my patience with a misplaced ornament—my OPD has limits.) Bonus: The laughter you’ll share over those questionable wrapping jobs will be way more memorable than perfectly creased edges.

2. Bake (or Burn) Together

Holiday baking is supposed to be fun, not a scene out of The Great British Bake Off. Embrace the chaos—flour flying, uneven cookies, and lopsided frosting are part of the charm. The key? Add wine (for the adults only of course). Nothing says holiday cheer like slightly tipsy cookie decorating. Want an experiment? Let everyone bake their own cookies and vote on the most “creative” (a.k.a. the ugliest).

3. Schedule a Guilt-Free Break

Sometimes, the best way to spend “we time” is to take a breather together. Pile the family onto the couch, queue up Home Alone or Elf, and zone out with bowls of popcorn. Let the magic of Kevin McCallister’s booby traps remind us that the holidays don’t have to be complicated to be memorable.

Finding Harmony in the Holiday Hustle

The holidays may come with their fair share of chaos, but they’re also a time for joy, connection, and the occasional Elf on the Shelf prank. By making space for yourself and the ones you love, you can navigate the season with your sanity—and your sense of humor—intact.

So, this year, let’s try something radical: Skip perfection, embrace the imperfections, and focus on what truly matters. Oh, and if you catch your Elf on the Shelf swinging from the Christmas tree? Maybe just let it slide.

Looking for More Tips?

If surviving the holiday hustle has you craving even more ways to carve out time for yourself, you’re in luck! Check out my article, Making Time for Me Time, where I dive deeper into the art of guilt-free self-care. Spoiler alert: It involves saying no to things that don’t spark joy (and maybe saying yes to more candle aisle sniffing).