The holidays are suppose to be fun…NOT stressful. But, with all of the food and gift shopping, planning, wrapping, and budgeting it is no surprise that we just get stressed out from the holidays. But, we have some Holiday Stress Relief Tips that may help you not only get through the holidays but you may even enjoy them a little more too.
Prepare for the Holidays
Procrastination is one of the biggest causes of stress. We all do it and we know that we do it every year. We see the holiday ads on the TV and we see the merchandise in every store starting before Halloween. Yet, with all of these glaring signs saying Prepare For the Holidays, we just don’t prepare. So, here’s our chance, let’s start preparing now with some important preparatory steps.
Let’s Create Some To-Do Lists:
- Create a Budget
- Create a Gift List
- Create a Holiday Menu
- Create An Invite List
- Create a Schedule
Once we have created the essential lists, we now have developed a plan of action. This alone should reduce some part of the stress because we are trying to organize our holiday plans. The next step is to start checking of this list by getting things done. As you start accomplishing your holiday goals, you may find that it is a little overwhelming. This is where the hard part comes in….but there are basically three options to solve this stress:
- Reduce your To-Do List
- Just Say No
- Ask For Help
You may have been a little too ambitious with your lists of things you wanted to accomplish. Take a look at what is on your list and think about small changes like reducing it by taking off a side dish or reducing the amount of people you are inviting to your holiday gathering. As you look at your list and you see that others seem to be adding to it, just say no. This means that if a family member wants to bring 5 more friends to dinner, it is okay to say no. If you do not want to reduce your lists or say no, call in reinforcements and ask for help. Instead of reducing your side dishes, ask for someone else to bring one. These are just some solutions but there are many more.
Get Sleep and Relax
It is important to get sleep and relax. I know that this may not be a part of your To-Do lists but it really is important to incorporate into the schedule. If you do not sleep and take some “Me-Time” to relax, you will not only increase your stress, but you will not enjoy the holidays.
We hope that these tips will help you prepare for the holidays and be able to enjoy them with your family and friends.
