The Arena Newsletter
Issue 21 | November 21, 2019
Whether you’re hosting Thanksgiving at your house or you’re packing up the car – and the kids, the pets, the kitchen sink – to travel somewhere else, this time of year can seem particularly hectic if you don’t plan ahead.
Welcome to The Arena Newsletter
In this issue, we're taking a look at Thanksgiving planning, whether you're hosting or eating away from home. Of course, there’s no guarantee that planning ahead will result in your desired outcome, but it could significantly improve your chances of having a smooth holiday.
Hosting at Home
Having Thanksgiving dinner at your house can feel like a lot of unnecessary pressure if you don’t plan ahead. “Is my house clean enough? Who’s staying here overnight? Who is bringing what, and will they need my stove/oven?” ⁠

The Arena App can help you easily manage all of these things. It may be beneficial to break up the planning into different projects (Guest List – Invites, RSVPs, dish requests; Cleaning – Laundry, dishware, house; Day of – Cooking list/times, table prep, clean up). ⁠

Each project you create could then have its own checklist, to keep things more manageable. Or, if you prefer to just have it all in one place, create a task for Thanksgiving Prep, assign yourself ALL THE POINTS for it, and plug in your own custom-made checklist. This will help you stay on top of your to-dos for the day (and the days before) so that you can avoid rushing around at the last minute while trying to fit 6 casserole dishes in the oven.
Eating on the Road
At first glance, the option to travel somewhere else for the holiday seems like the logical choice. No need to worry about cleaning your house, having enough place settings, where everyone will sleep, etc. However, this choice packs plenty of its own hang-ups, such as “What am I responsible for cooking?” “Should I bring my own ingredients?” “Will I be able to use the stove/oven?” “Who are we staying with? “Should we just get a hotel room instead?” “Can we bring the dog?” ⁠

This list could go on for a while if you’re not careful. With The Arena App, you can keep track of all of these questions, as well as everything you will need to do to prepare and pack for the trip. Our pre-built checklist – Planning for a Trip – will come in handy and can be edited to suit your specific needs. You can also create your own checklist for all of those lingering questions you need to have answered in advance so that when the time comes, you can focus on the more important things, like what game you're going to play in the car on the way.⁠

So get those movies downloaded and books checked out, and make sure everyone remembers the rules to I Spy.... 
About Thrivner Software
The Arena App: Daily Planner, developed by Thrivner Software, combines best practices for #productivity, #timemanagement, and a life well-lived so you have a better day, every day!
# InTheArena # SeizeTheDay # Productivity