"Dear Santa, can you help me with my Christmas shopping?" Beat procrastination as the countdown begins!

Christmas is less than one week away... and sure, it's fun and festive until you realize you still need to buy gifts for everyone - brothers, sisters, parents, friends, coworkers, and maybe even a random Secret Santa. And let’s not forget, some of us still have work or studying to do right up until Christmas Eve.

We all long for the days when Christmas was just about magic, joy, lights, and presents 🎁, not running around crowded malls, stressing over the endless gift list, and trying to come up with the most creative ideas. But since we can’t return to childhood, we might as well face the reality.

Don’t worry, though—Behavioral Science and I have got you covered. 🤝 The countdown to Christmas might be stressful, but with these simple tricks, you’ll handle it all with ease and joy.

1. Break tasks into smaller steps

Above all, don’t set a reminder like "buy all Christmas presents", because in the end, you’ll end up buying none, or you’ll feel overwhelmed and/or scared just by seeing the word "all". Instead, make a specific to-do list, like: "Buy the perfume for mom," "Buy Christmas wrapping paper," or "Buy a mug for Secret Santa"

2. Use the two-minute rule

The two-minute rule is one of my favorite concepts. You know I love simplifying things and reducing friction wherever I can because, especially during Christmas, it’s a time to celebrate, not stress out.

The two-minute rule says that if you can do a task in two minutes or less, do it right away — don’t delay. So, when you’re feeling lost or stuck, ask yourself, "Can I do this in two minutes?" If the answer is yes, just do it.

3. Use "Temptation Bundling"

This concept focuses on finding a behavior (wrapping Christmas presents) attractive by doing one of your favorite things at the same time (watching your favorite TV show).

You're going to start by creating a two-column list:

1. On the first column, write down your hobbies or favorite things that you enjoy doing on your "free" time.

2. On the second column, write down the tasks that you should be doing, but put them off for "later".

   
   

Some examples to help you create your own temptation bundling:

• Watch your favorite Netflix show while wrapping Christmas gifts.

• Listen to your favorite podcast while shopping for presents at the mall.

4. Implement visual cues

All of these tips are valuable, but the truth is, if you don't remember what you need to do, it will be hard to implement them. So, if you're going to follow one piece of advice, let it be this:

How can you remember everything if you don’t write it down?

1. Make a to-do list: It is fundamental that you write down a list of all things to buy and/or do before Christmas (make a to-do list, checklist, jot it down in your planner, whatever method works best for you).

2. Place it somewhere visible: After having everything written down, place it somewhere to remind yourself of your to-do's. There are different ways to do so:

   1. Place the list on your fridge.

   2. Add a reminder widget to your phone (if you have an iPhone) so it pops up every time you unlock it.

   3. Set alarms on your phone.

   4. Place it on the front door (so every time you walk out, you remind yourself).

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ps: Christmas is the perfect time to unwrap productivity—don't let procrastination be the Grinch that steals your holiday joy!

References:

Clear, James. “Temptation Bundling: A Simple Way to Boost Your Willpower.” James Clear, 25 June 2015, jamesclear.com/temptation-bundling.

Clear, James. “How to Stop Procrastinating by Using the “2-Minute Rule.”” James Clear, 13 Nov. 2018, jamesclear.com/how-to-stop-procrastinating.