With Thanksgiving now over, we are in the last stretch before the end of the year. If you are like most Americans (over a third of them say this is the most stressful time of the year!), you are starting to feel overwhelmed, stressed out, rushing to try to accomplish everything you need to – and dreading the fact that you most likely won't be able to!

Here are a few Daily Mastery tools my clients find easy to implement, and yielding some astounding results almost immediately:

•*Must Do's* - Write down the 1 to 5 main items you need to complete by the end of the year. Keep this list in front of you at all times, and work on each item, one after the other. Every time a new task comes in, compare it to this list to determine if the new task deserves more attention than your main items, or if it can wait until next week. At the end of the year, busy work must take a back seat if we're to get what we actually need done completed in time. Your Must Do list will help you keep laser focus for better success.

•*Interruptions Ender* - Be ruthless with interruptions. See if you can implement a certain hour of the day you'll be answering questions. By letting people know you're available at a certain time because you are on deadline, many of the unnecessary chats will simply disappear. Do people want your input, or have a question to ask? Tell them "I'm busy right now, can we talk at 4?" By that time, most people will have resolved their challenge without your input, leaving you free to focus on your tasks.

•*Pace Yourself* - Take regular breaks during the day, taking four or five deep breaths and a few stretching movements before going back to work. Actually get up, walk around – even just around your desk if necessary, and make sure to breathe deeply and consciously. Simple breathing, which we tend not to do in our fast-paced and stressed-out world, is one of the most incredible stress relievers. And the effects of these short breaks are cumulative, so while individually they might not seem so effective, at the end of the day you've accomplished more and are less stressed... and you'll begin to understand why Daily Masters take Breathing Breaks.

At the end of each day this month, take some time to acknowledge the wonderful progress you have made, and give yourself something special – it can be as simple as time off to read a chapter of a good book... Too often, our attention is squarely on what we haven't done and our challenges, which makes them grow and makes us even more stressed. Focusing on your accomplishments, on the other hand, makes you feel more relaxed and accomplished, begetting more relaxation and productivity.

With these simple tools that you can integrate into your day, you'll get to New Year relaxed and having completed your most important tasks, while avoiding unnecessary stress.

{ adapted from Holiday Survival to

Holiday Delight e-guide, by Karin

Vibe-Rheymer-Stewart, with the

participation of Cathleen Campbell }

Yours in Daily Mastery,

Karin

PS: Holiday Delight is the Daily Mastery program designed to help even the busiest people get on track and maintain some sense of peaceful productivity during the busiest, most stressful time of the year. [Link Removed] to get your own gentle guidance and support every day until the end of the year, supporting you in getting everything you need done easily and without unnecessary stress.