Get Ready for Next Year’s Holidays With a List of Regrets
No matter how you spend your holidays this year, it is unlikely that everything went according to plan. As tempting as it is, instantly suppressing memories of a catastrophic cross-country flight or accidentally undercooked turkey will only make you do the same next year . It is your responsibility to write down anything you would like to do differently while it is still fresh in your head.
Repeating scripts in your head is rarely helpful, but looking back can make your life easier if you use it responsibly. Instead of quenching end-of-year regrets, use them for good: look back at those holiday tasks or projects that are difficult enough to be annoying, and make yourself a Might-Would-Would-Hate list. Any of them are prime candidates:
- Travel: Whether you were arguing a child through TSA for the first time or trying to fly instead of driving to visit family, take the time to take stock of any major mistakes – and ruthlessly check your list of things – so the trip is next year will be less of a headache.
- Hosting: If you have a family visit this year, get your family members up and perform an autopsy to find out what worked and what didn’t. Do you need more pillows? Can we improve the airport pick-up and drop-off plan? Isn’t it time to finally replace your antique sofa bed? You will be very glad you asked these questions before the next group of guests arrives.
- Entertaining: It takes a lot of practice to successfully host large dinners. Write down any changes you make to your seating, décor, table setting, and serving strategy so you know what not to do next year. Also, regardless of their intention to cook them, people love to ask for recipes; have a list of references and cookbooks ready.
How you write down your thoughts matters less than accessibility; you need to be able to refer to this list at any time after you have written it. Google Docs , Slack, and to- do apps make this very easy, but if you’re the person with a paper notebook, tag the pages as clearly and clearly as possible. Either way, set a calendar reminder so you have some free time to check your list. Your future will be endlessly grateful.