Mind/Body

5 Steps to a Stress-Free Holiday Season

Is this ↑↑↑ the image you have in your head when you think of the holidays? The stress and panic of shopping and racing around trying to complete 25 hours of tasks in a 24 hour day? Where is the holiday cheer people?!?

When you think of the holiday season as a kid, you think of yummy food, bright lights, gifts, family and fun! When you think of the holiday season as an adult you think of travel, family conflicts, cooking and cleaning and buying gifts. The holidays tend to lose their excitement as we grow up and become more a time of stress than a time of joy.

It doesn’t have to be that way. Here are some tips on how to handle holiday stress and how to get back to that excited feeling you had when you were a kid when someone mentioned the holiday season. 

Plan Ahead

One minute it’s Labor Day and the next, it’s Thanksgiving. The holidays always seem to creep up on us faster than we are ready for. Don’t be that person scouring the grocery store for the last turkey or trampling other moms for the last hit toy this holiday season. Plan ahead. Set reminders for yourself to get prepared ahead of time. Don’t get caught shopping and running around frantically while everyone else is enjoying family time together.

Find An Outlet

Even when we are prepared, the holidays can bring on a great deal of stress. Traveling, interacting with family, cooking, cleaning- it’s all stressful. Be sure to have an outlet for your stress. Commit to a minimum of 2 activities each week that are purely for you. It can be yoga, a massage, a walk in the park or even a short guided meditation on your phone. Don’t forget about you during this time of giving!

Ask For Help

You can’t do everything for everyone. And you shouldn’t! Don’t be afraid to ask for help when you need it or even to delegate tasks. Your entire family sitting around while you break a sweat cooking and cleaning? Toss that broom on over! Let others pitch in to avoid running yourself into the ground. Chances are, they’ll be happy to lend a hand. And even if they aren’t happy, your guests will likely still oblige to be polite 😉

Don’t Be A Perfectionist!

The holidays are about family. They are not about how clean your living room is or how fancy your centerpieces are or how extravagant your hors d’oeuvres are. Relax! It’s okay if everything isn’t perfect. And, honestly, no matter how hard you try, is it ever perfect?

Enjoy The Time

Put down the mop! Step away from the wrapping paper! It’s not every day your whole family gets together. Don’t get caught up in the little things and miss out on the big picture. The holidays are the best time of the year- not because you get presents- because you get to spend quality time away from the office and with your family, distraction-free. Enjoy every minute of it. The rest is just the little things.

 

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