I had a chance to get away this week for two nights to a city nearby - it was a time to reflect on 2025 and dream for 2026 (and I'm publicly sharing some of that data/reflection here!). I also got the lovely chance to see friends and sleep a bit later than my regular school drop-off routine allows. I like to set a theme for the year, and I think I've decided on it, but I'm letting it marinate for a bit longer before fully committing. Once I do, I'll look back on my own advice here about how to keep the intention front-and-center. If you're craving some reflection and dreaming, my friend Lia's free reflection guide is a great resource. If you're just eager to declutter right now, here's my advice in Real Simple for what makes most sense to declutter this time of year.
Real quick - would you like to chat on Zoom today or Tuesday (we could also do a phone call)? I've opened up some spots on my calendar to talk through Joyfully Managed Worklife with anyone considering joining. No pressure, just a way to connect and see if it's a fit for you. Find a time here.
Let's get to your Friday Five, shall we? With some timely tips for this weekend, I hope!
This will change your life: If you have time off from work this holiday season, I beg you to try this.
Two ways to spend FSA $: It's flexible spending account sign-up season at many companies here in the US (and time to spend down your current-year balance if you have any remaining). Thanks to Friday Fiver Robin for reminding me to remind all of us! My first tip is to consider LASIK surgery in 2025 if you've been curious about it - it's FSA-eligible. Here's my experience with the surgery. Second - FSAStore.com is a great place to spend down your balance before December 31st because everything on the site is eligible. Consider flu/covid tests, sunscreen, a mouthguard cleaning device, a red light therapy device, an Oura ring to track your health, or even a massaging heat pad to gift someone. This is their list of "surprisingly eligible" FSA items.
Get a Great 2026 Calendar: It's a great time to get a new calendar for your wall - I love this brand and get them every year. They don't track the day-to-day minutiae for me - that's my Google Calendar. But they help us as a family see and plan the big picture - trips, birthdays, no-school days, etc. I've also used them for my business to plan out the quarter and year. I like the Sunday Start Seasonal Calendars or the Fresh Start 2026, and I also love the erasable gel pen, circle sticky notes (these are for things we want to do that are flexible and might need to move around, like "Try out new restaurant"), and sticky note tape (good for multi-day events like a trip or school break). I know the folks at Essential Calendar so they've given us a code - JOYFULLYMANAGED gets you 10% off.
Outschool for upcoming school break: If you have kiddos in your home and you’re looking for a fun way to give them something interesting to do during their upcoming break, Outschool is a great option (get $50 off with my friend link, which is plenty to try multiple classes in most cases for free). My tip is to search for topics your kid is interested in - LEGO, Warrior Cats books, video editing, Diary of a Wimpy Kid, chess, photography, Minecraft, drawing, learning a language, cooking, or whatever - you'll find some fun stuff!
Bonus Sponsor Resource: Host Modern - I bought their "ultimate serving dish" about 6 months ago, and it was a great decision. I love it for keeping food warm when I'm hosting and carrying food when I'm bringing something to someone else's home. If you host folks or need a gift for someone who loves to host, this is a great option. Use coupon JOYFULLYMANAGEDFAMILY for 10% off. This resource is from one of our Friday Five sponsors - thank you to them for keeping this newsletter free for readers!
Last Friday's Most-Clicked Link:My fave Christmas playlist, yet again with a close second of the 1440 newsletter (see below), one of my fave free sources for unbiased news.