Planning isn’t a dirty word!

The title for this piece mentions the dreaded P word, planning. It helps point us toward an important aspect of the season…

Not just Christmas dinner timing; which accompaniments to accommodate the most ‘select’ eaters coming to stay or optimal christmas pudding creation time but also likely nap times for all generations visiting.

Planning and timing are for life not just for Christmas (but especially at xmas?)

The military I’m sure have an acronym using lots of P words about planning.  Some folk mention 5, 6 7 and more Ps!

Luckily we don’t all need to become soldiers to take on board some of their advice:

Proper Planning Prevents Poor Performance

Whatever plans we get set up, know that we can’t control the world but it’s still going to be ok!

  • Family are likely be happier with our presence than our presents even after uber agonising over which perfectly chosen gift to get.
  • Don’t pile challenges unnecessarily in the way.
  • Be realistic about what we can fit into the allotted time and space.

I was helpfully pointed toward this post as a way of highlighting how to keep ‘control’ of Christmas. Whilst I appreciated the sentiment, I felt it sometimes missed the point? Using the word ‘control’ I believe is misguided and leads to potential upset further down the line?

  • I don’t consider my life is best equated to a busy mum of four who seeks comfort in dipping into chocolate from the fridge.
  • We all have schedules but most with a chronic condition learn fairly soon that schedules aren’t always kept… and again, that’s ok.
  • Ultimately, none of us have control over our lives (MS or not). The sooner this is acknowledged the sooner we can concentrate on now.

Perhaps I have a whiff of Bah Humbug about me? It feels a little like Christmas has already been here too long and we’ve just past the first week of December!

I know it may not sound like it but I DO actually love Christmas. I’ve been buying bits of presents online for the last month or two whilst trying not to include this gifting faux pas, a Walkman, a Pager and a couple of cassette tapes.

Even with my plans I’ll still be panicking nearer the time that I have more gifts to feel like I’m buying.

I’m trying to ask myself what’s most important about the season and to put limited energy in the right direction.

It’s a new feeling to get used to: I no longer make NO plans in the belief that things’ll just work themselves out. Perhaps, rather boringly for the rest of my family I’m getting timings set up to visit them in the runup to Christmas which is taking longer than it did when I could drive myself to visit them.

santa's planning too

But, I don’t think I’ve entirely wrung the joy out of Christmas. It has taken on a different shape compared to my party seasons just 10 years ago but like many others also reluctantly shifting their own expectations we seem to exist quite well in the space where forethought used to be ‘not the done thing’.

I think it’s time to change this… Who’s with me “PLANNING IS PREFERRED”… Let’s take it one season at a time!