Preparing for the Holidays

By Yazmeen O. Gadalla

Hello, fellow division members, and happy holidays!

As we come to the end of December, we have made it through another year together, adjusting to the challenges the world has presented us.

I wish you all the best as we continue through our journeys!

With these challenges, the holidays can be a stressful time.

• Decorate and bring yourself joy! A bright and cheery environment can vastly improve your mood, as well as the mood of those around you.
• Keep your attire festive, but appropriate! Some offices will let you go all out (can you say ugly Christmas sweater?), but some are a bit more conservative. Accessorizing with holiday pins and jewelry is a great and subtle way to show your holiday cheer.
• Make a list (and check it twice)! Staying organized is the biggest service you can do for yourself as you balance the holiday workload. Writing down tasks, prioritizing them, and keeping them on hand will help you feel calm and collected. If a paper list isn’t your thing, there are lots of apps and websites to help (my favorite is Todoist. Habitica is a fun one to make your tasks a game!).
• Keep it simple! A holiday doesn’t need to be all glitz, glamor, and games. Sometimes the best things are a fireplace, a cup of cocoa, and music while spending time with family and friends.
• Be kind to yourself. The holidays can be a lot right now. Make sure to take time for self-care – whatever makes you comfortable.
• Have fun! Enjoy the things you do and make the most of your holiday season.

Many of us have special ways to destress and cope with the holiday rush. Some of your fellow division members have also offered some helpful tips that you can consider adding into your holiday routine:

“My tip for handling stress is a simple mindful breathing technique of deep breathing. When I am feeling overwhelmed, I stop what I am doing. Take a step back and take three deep breaths. Sometimes it takes more than three deep breaths to diffuse the overwhelming feeling. I also use a principle called S.T.O.P. Stop whatever you are doing to cause the stress or uneasy feeling, Think to yourself, why are you feeling this way? Observe your answers to yourself and then proceed with your work.” – Shawana W. Almendarez

“If you are going out shopping, have your list in hand, with backup options. Take a deep breath before you go in, and remember, everyone else is doing the same thing you are. The more you smile, the more others will be pleasant and hopefully it will be an enjoyable experience. If you are giving money, think of clever ways to disguise it, like placing it in a Barrel of Monkeys, in a deck of cards, an empty container of something else, and wrap those gifts. You could also send them on a scavenger hunt throughout the house and/or outside. Make it fun, and you will enjoy that time.” – Peggy Pardue

“The older I have gotten the more I have realized the holidays are not about finding the perfect gifts to go under the tree; it is about those who surround the tree that you get to spend time with that is the most precious gift. Find what it is that makes you happy and find time to enjoy that during the holidays. I love to bake, so I make baked goods to give as gifts to coworkers, friends, and family. I also love to cook, so I prepare my family’s Christmas lunch (aside from my dad’s turkey) and then they don’t have to stress over it since most of them don’t like to cook. The holidays are a time of celebration and joy; that is what we need to remember most.” – Sarah White

Yazmeen O. Gadalla is a North Carolina Certified Paralegal with Hendren, Redwine & Malone, PLLC in Raleigh, NC. She focuses in bankruptcy, working within all three bankruptcy districts in the state of North Carolina. She also deals with litigation matters in state court. Yazmeen received her B.A.s in English and Criminology from North Carolina State University, and her Paralegal Certification from Guilford College. As well as being the Communications Co-Chair, Yazmeen is also a council member of the North Carolina Bar Association’s Paralegal Division and is actively engaged in many other Bar Association matters.

***

The Paralegal Division Blog is managed by the division’s Communications Committee. Via the blog and listserv, the Communications Committee provides information written by attorneys, paralegals, and other experts designed specifically for paralegals in the areas of substantive law, ethics, technology, paralegal practice advice, and more. If you are interested in volunteering with the Communications Committee, please contact the Communications Committee Chair, Amy Miller, at [email protected]. If you are interested in joining other division committees, you can review a list of committees and sign up here. You may also wish to participate in the division by using our virtual suggestion box to submit suggestions/ideas to the division Council, submitting a proposed blog post, nominating a paralegal for Paralegal Spotlight, or completing the Paralegal Spotlight Questionnaire if you are nominating yourself.