Tinsel Trail, Huntsville, Alabama, 2019
Forgive me. I did not intend to miss a whole week of blogging. After too many meetings, the usual post-semester mayhem, and life in general, all I wanted to do by the time I left work is…nothing.
The struggle is real. So is burnout.
There’s nothing worse than burnout 12 days before Christmas. Scratch that. Actually, there are a lot of things far worse.
But.
Tired is tired. And being in the middle of a pandemic makes regular tired feel like extra, extra tired–like a giant weight of exhaustion around one’s neck.
That unforgiving weight makes it difficult to push through or even move toward the things I actually want to do. 
And, I want Christmas. The tree, the lights, the hustle and bustle of holiday shopping, the movies, (vegan) egg nog, and too many sweets. To make up for the big family Christmas we need but can’t have because of COVID-19, we need as many bells and whistles as my guys and I can manage.
Don’t let the “Burnout Grinch” steal my Christmas. If you have any out-of-the-ordinary suggestions for overcoming pandemic burnout, please drop them in the comments.
Pics and Posts 
My number one advice to avoid burn-out is to drop everything that is NOT necessary, like this blog. We wait for you until you feel well again. Just drop it for a while, to avoid one source of noise, one “obligation” (we do not have any right to your time, Chandra – you are NOT obliged to post and you do not need our forgiveness).
Big cleaning before Christmas? Spoil yourself and let someone professional do it for you. No need to stress – it is only the three of you and you do not have to pass the “mother-in-law-is-coming”-exam.
Home-made food? While it is a good thing to do it yourself- this Christmas rely on professionals. It will still feed you and your loved ones, it just won’t stress you that much.
Instead, since you really, really are into this – allow yourself an hour of prayer. Go to a church not during service but when nobody else is there, enjoy the sacred atmosphere and relax.
Go for a walk with your little one, see him enjoying things.
And outsource the [insert swear word of choice] out of your life. Anything that is too much right now, all the tiresome obligations – find someone who does it. Preferably for money, anything else would just create new obligations.
Be glad that the pandemic does not allow for Christmas parties (another troublesome obligation) – at least ONE good thing that comes from the pandemic. One point where it allows you to skip what you do not really enjoy because it eats up too much time.
All the best – Christmas can be low key, you do not need to go overboard with it.
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Thank you for your helpful response. My blog is a treat for me, so I don’t see it as an obligation. The “forgive me” is more for myself than my “audience.” 😀 I love your tips and counsel. Christmas will never be “overdone” for us, but I do want it to be festive and fun for my guys and me. And yeah, I do not miss the parties. I like the idea of having someone else clean AND organize our home. And maybe, someone to go out and search for all the teacher gifts and wrap them beautifully. 😀 All of your suggestions. Yes! ❤ Printing this comment and placing it in my planner (another source of overwhelm).
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Do the things that are most important. You will find that many of the things on your to-do list, really don’t need to be there. Delegate! Give yourself grace! Rest in the peace & joy of your Heavenly Father & trust Him with your schedule.
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Amen. Thanks! Delegate. Hmm…What’s left to do by Friday must be done by me. But praise God! Friday and two weeks off are on the way!
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It is great to have you back, but I applaud you for taking the time away you needed in order to conserve some much-needed fuel. Christmas can SO easily become just one more source of pressure and obligation if we let it. But it can also be a time of great joy and refreshment if we make that the priority. Your first responder there has some excellent suggestions. I’d say follow that advice and save your best self for your family.
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It was so unplanned, and I’d rather write blog posts than all the other stuff I have to write/should be writing. 😀 I’ll do my best to follow all the great advice. Thanks for reminding me to save my best self for those who have to deal with me every day.
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Right there with you. Burned out. LOL. And yes, I agree the blog can wait. (I have so much catching up to do, LOL) We love you more than your blog. And we love the blog. 🙂 Put your feet up, and take a deep breath. xoxoxox
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Soooo very happy to see you here, Sheila! Praise God for you!
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Ok my absolute best #1 tip for un-grinching Christmas without burnout —– SING! Sing along with all the radio Christmas music, or your own Christmas CDs, or Amazon Prime Music, or even acappella — just sing! It always puts me in a good mood!
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Yes! Singing is the best for chasing away all kinds of crazies!
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When the end of another COVID semester comes. please remember to give yourself grace because God does
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Amen. And thank God!
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Thank you for sharing!!.. blogging is just a part of your life, cannot ignore the rest… hope you and your family have a wonderful holiday, Christmas and New Year filled with peace, love and happiness!.. 🙂
Until we meet again…
May love and laughter light your days,
and warm your heart and home.
May good and faithful friends be yours,
wherever you may roam.
May peace and plenty bless your world
with joy that long endures.
May all life’s passing seasons
bring the best to you and yours!
(Irish Saying)
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Thank you for always dropping in with a wonderful word of encouragement. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to you as well!
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Yes, burnout is real. I am trying to do the things that make me happy and it’s still been a struggle. So I understand. I wish I had more to offer than commiseration, but here we are.
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Yes. Here we are. Hopefully, we’ll all get enough of what we need to tackle life in 2022. Hugs…
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