Building lofty, impossible ambitions for breaks in work or school happens to all of us. So how do you decide what’s possible or necessary and get the darn thing done?

For me, I follow three steps:

1. Map out a holiday agenda. First, I keep in mind I’m back in my hometown to visit friends and family. I create a visual schedule of relationship activities I deem absolutely vital but try to limit it to only about one a day, depending on how long I’m in town. ex.) Mass on Christmas Day with the parents, visiting my friend’s newborn baby, giving another friend (who lives in Birmingham) a haircut, getting my own hair cut from yet another friend (who lives in Austin). Once you have everything splayed out so you can see, you can figure out free time you’ll have to hunker down and work.

2. Determine what’s absolutely vital work-wise. For me, I absolutely have to keep Lovelyish afloat with posts (because y’all would be so sad if I didn’t, right?), so that would be my absolutely vital work-wise activity. Now is the time to get ahead by starting on your spring literature class’s reading list since you’re signed on for a particularly heavy semester. It is not the time to teach yourself Italian. Because you likely won’t actually get much done in that realm and not only will the lack of progress bum you out, the task could distract you from reasonable, more pressing goals.

3. Reward yourself for worky work done. No need to cheers yourself an extra egg nog because you piously shopped with your best friend from high school all day. What I mean here is, for every few chapters you digest in that book for lit, take a break with a leisure walk with your mom.

All in all, I say remember to acknowledge your loved ones in the city of your visit because hey, it’s the holidays and that’s why you get the time off in the first place. Don’t get too bogged down with all the work stuff on your plate but don’t forget to make some headway when you find the time. If you do, it’ll make your return to reality post-holidays that much cozier.

How do you stay focused during the lovely lethargy of the holidays? What tips could you share for us to try out?