To cancel everything cos I'm burnt out?

[Balaclava1000]

I'm currently sick with a heavy cold and aches and pains and insomnia and I'm starting to panic that I've over committed myself for this week and next week and feel like cancelling everything. Would that be a bad idea and do you think I've been foolish for over booking myself? December has been pretty full on so far and I have one DD and we've already seen Santa, gone to a concert, xmas movies etc.

What's booked in:
-Tuesday to Thursday work in office

• Wednesday I have work secret santa and a playdate and then supposed to go to cinema for xmas movie with my partner
• Thursday i have my book group secret santa
• Friday I'm helping on the door for my friend's xmas concert and finishing xmas shopping
• Saturday I've to take my dd to cinema with her friend, then to a birthday party, then help out at my mum's xmas fayre, then meeting friends for our annual xmas lunch
• Sunday I've to meet my aunt and partner for lunch as won't see her over xmas
• Monday night booked in hotel
• Tuesday xmas eve cleaning wrapping presents etc
• xmas day at restaurant then sisters
• 26th a in laws
• 27th day off
• 28th concert in town
• 29th carnival with in laws kids
• 30th nothing
• 31st panto and meal

I actually feel sick and wonder if this level of activity is normal or if there is something wrong with me? Also what should I cancel bearing in mind I don't want to let people down. Also how do others avoid getting into such situations!?

Thanks for reading.

That's crazy OP - I would totally whittle it down . Pick a few things that you really want to do . And if not well then don't ! Take it easy x

It's horses for courses, I'd rather go to my actual job than do the fun things on your list. In fact if my administrator had created a Saturday for me like your next Saturday I would be well cross!
But on the other hand my Grandmother had schedule's like this, I remember her going to 2 or 3 parties or events in one day in the lead up to Xmas.
Maybe have a think when you are better about what makes you happy and then reconsider your bookings policy.

You definitely have a packed schedule so can understand you feeling overwhelmed, especially with a heavy cold.

I wouldn't cancel everything though. It sounds like you just need a space to breathe so you can concentrate on looking after yourself with getting plenty of rest/fluids etc. I would probably call in sick either today or tomorrow and cancel all social engagements too for the rest of the week. See how you feel by the weekend?

Some things can be easily cancelled. For example, if you tell your mum that you are unwell and overwhelmed, surely she will understand if you don't help at her Christmas fayre? And could someone else take your daughter to the cinema or party?

I would try to reduce the commitments to one a day. It's tricky over Christmas as there's so much going on. Maybe you could cancel the ones that you really don't want to attend and do the ones that you feel excited about. However you said you were feeling unwell so maybe cancel all of it and next year only do what you feel you can manage.
I used to be an over booker and often overwhelmed and now I only book one thing if I can. Hope you feel better soon.

To me your schedule is normal, but I know IABU because to a lot of people it’s way too much. My parents/sibling couldn’t do that much. Me and DH are always on the go.

Take our a few things, keep the hotel night and go from there.

YANBU, try and cut it down.

I’ve been mad busy up until the end of this week, but after that I refuse to do anything. I’ve told everyone we are busy and working. No one is coming Christmas Day thank God. We will do a few local things just us if we want to.

I always write myself a note saying don’t do X and Y next year. This time I’m writing it in caps.

Take a mental step back and decide what is essential, what is obligatory, and what is negligible. Cancel anything that you possibly can and focus on the important, crucial stuff.
If you feel physically unwell then any task will be an immense drain on you. If you are infectious then you should stay away from people, particularly the vulnerable.
And next year.............give yourself a break!

I'd cancel everything before Monday to give yourself a chance to get over the cold. People won't mind when they know you're unwell - particularly as they are not at risk of catching your cold! See if someone else can take your daughter to the cinema and party.

If you can, get some wrapping done this week to ease the pressure on Christmas Eve

That schedule is insane! I would definitely cancel everything this week and go from there.
Take some time to rest or Christmas will be miserable.

I would cancel Wednesday and Thursday, after that hopefully you’ll be better. I would also cancel helping at other people’s functions so you have more time in your schedule to recharge. Your schedule sounds do-able if you’re well but my tip is ‘never volunteer’ and plan one completely free weekend a month in future.

I’d cancel Wednesday Thursday (your not well)possibly Friday too

Then Monday re arrange the hotel for another time .
Your seeing in laws on 26th can you change that to 27th?
Also your seeing in-laws 26th then carnival with in-laws kids 29th I’d do one or the other

You really do have too much on

Well if you're sick, you're sick, so just cancel. You're not supposed to be performing brain surgery, it's mostly just frivolous stuff. The world won't end if you can't go out for meals and to the cinema. Just explain you're ill and put your feet up.

Cancel everything and rest. Christmas day can be snack foods and watching movies.
I got gastro one year, and to be honest, it was a relief.
I cancelled everything and enjoyed it so much, I have not hosted a big Christmas since.

Cancel! I’ve got 2 weeks off work over Christmas, Christmas Day me and DSis will cook lunch together for our families. After that I’ll mostly be doing fuck all!! The run up to Christmas is really busy where I work so I’ll be recharging my batteries for 2 weeks.

Don't feel guilty. Just cancel everything and get plenty of rest. Giving too much of ourselves to other people is never a good idea.

I think don’t do anything too radical, when I’m ill (I’ve got similar to you at the moment) I feel really overwhelmed and as a consequence catastrophise. It’s a bit like when they tell you not to act on thoughts you have at 2am! Sometimes when you are ill you can’t imagine being well again. Having said that yes it’s a lot, is it stuff you wanted to do, got guilted into, felt you had to? That may be something to reflect on when you feel better.

I think your plans sound nice. They should be enjoyable things (lunch, restaurant, concert, panto), they are not exhausting things per se (I thought you were going to say that you were hosting most days).

But if you can't face them then just cancel a few. I don't think it should be an all or nothing situation though, it would be a knee jerk reaction from how you are feeling today. Just stay in for a couple of days to recover from your cold and you might find you are up for them again.

Looks average to quiet for my Christmas calendar with 3 tween / teen kids all doing different things and very heavy workload plus family Christmas visits, experiences etc. 🤣 Rotten with a cold though

This is how I would change it;

• Wednesday I have work secret santa and a playdate and then supposed to go to cinema for xmas movie with my partner - CANCEL ALL

• Thursday i have my book group secret santa - CANCEL

• Friday I'm helping on the door for my friend's xmas concert and finishing xmas shopping - Still try to do this but tell your friend about you cold first and mask up, your friend might say she’ll get someone else to do it. Definitely mask up in the shops or buy online.

• Saturday I've to take my dd to cinema with her friend, then to a birthday party, then help out at my mum's xmas fayre, then meeting friends for our annual xmas lunch - cancel fayre and lunch and wrap presents instead of lunch. Still take your daughter where she needs to go.

• Sunday I've to meet my aunt and partner for lunch as won't see her over xmas - Tell them about your cold if they still want to meet then do but maybe mask up in the restaurant when not eating

• Monday night booked in hotel - Is this a treat you want to do? if so do it otherwise cancel

• Tuesday xmas eve cleaning wrapping presents etc - clean but wrap presents earlier than Tuesday

• xmas day at restaurant then sisters - still do this you feel well enough

• 26th a in laws - still do this if you feel well enough

• 27th day off - enjoy

• 28th concert in town - CANCEL

• 29th carnival with in laws kids - wait to see how you feel

• 30th nothing - enjoy

• 31st panto and meal - wait to see how you feel

Hope that helps

That’s insane! I don’t schedule in more than one or two things a week. But I am a home bunny so sometimes wonder if I do too little.

You need a day of “nothing” (which is actually cooking, shopping, laundry, and pottering) every 3-4 days minimum. No wonder you are poorly.

I used to overschedule myself. When I sat and figured out why for various reasons I was addicted to being busy, now I block out days in the calendar as above.

Cancel everything for the next 3-4 days and recover. Then keep the things you really love and make sure you have blocked out a home day every 3-4 days. Good luck and get well soon 💐

All looks perfectly normal to me. One a month? That's hermit level living.

I'd cancel the cinema a book group for now and see how you feel.

Do you need the hotel stay on Monday? Is it to facilitate something?

I wouldn't drop out of commitments I'd made in terms of helping or the panto etc where you've already paid.

Have a day or so to rest and you'll probably be fine but don't go so overboard next year.

I don’t think your schedule sounds that bad - it’s just part of normal life with kids and families. But I can completely see that is is overwhelming if you aren’t feeling great so J’d definitely trim it down where you can.

The last two weeks were like that for me - just really full on with activities, to the extent that my parents had to come down and help as DH and I couldn’t physically be everywhere we needed to be - so we had to host on top of everything!

Luckily things have calmed down this week and Christmas week looks easier as DH is off from Monday.

I’d cancel cos you’re ill and shouldn’t be spreading your germs- but I’m amazed how many people say this is too much stuff! Not saying anyone’s right or wrong but just to me that’s a fairly standard week in the lead up to Xmas- on the go, but mostly fun/relaxing things- making me think maybe I do too much and should relax a bit!