Tis the season to panic. At least that`s how I feel right now! While I`m looking forward to Christmas this year, with an almost two year old and a three year old, the fact is that there is more work than ever this month and there simply isn`t time to get it all done.

I`m certainly not going to complain about work, not when I am thrilled that the freelance writing industry seems to be booming despite dire prophecies about the economy. I`m not one to turn down work and really, I`m not actually swamped right now, it`s just that there are so many Christmas crafts and fun things to do this holiday season that it feels like a lot.

I`m going to go out on a limb and figure that a lot of other work at home moms feel this way, too.

One of the best ways to ensure that you don`t give in to the panic is to simply be organized. Set aside a specific amount of time on a daily basis where you can work on your Christmas things. Schedule work hours if possible. Make sure that work comes before play (except when it comes to your kids!) and most of all, take some time for yourself.
Having just a few minutes on your own is vital. And I`m not talking about shutting yourself into the office to work without children climbing onto your lap. Take a stroll through the crisp winter air, watch a movie you`ve been meaning to see with your husband, make a cup of hot chocolate and float some marshmallows in it after the kids are asleep . . . moms need the rejuvination time that gets left behind during the holiday season.

Take a minute or two for yourself and you`ll feel far more able to handle the stress that the holidays bring.

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