10 Tips to Help Ease Holiday Stress

Don’t let another holiday season wear you down and frazzle your nerves.  Following are some ideas that can help make Christmas, Thanksgiving and other holidays more enjoyable and less stressful. 

1. Make a list and check it twice.  Whether you are planning the feast, looking for gifts or just in charge of arrangements, making a list of things that need to be done or items that need to be purchased, helps to take the guesswork out of what needs to be done next.  Plus if you stick to the list you can save money by not impulse buying and by taking advantage of any sales that come along.  This way you know ahead of time what needs to be taken care of and it should eliminate some of the last minute stress worrying about what might have been forgotten. 

2. Take a time out.  Make it a routine to take time out for you.  Spend 10-15 minutes, a couple of times a day, relaxing, exercising, listening to music, doing yoga, reading a book or taking a walk.  The point is to spend some time recharging your battery.  Whatever you enjoy doing, give yourself permission to decompress a couple of times a day and you’ll be amazed at how much more energy you have.  Plus this helps to keep you focused on the task at hand while helping to eliminate stress throughout your day. 

3. Start shopping in advance.  Make you list early and start keeping an eye out for deals.  Start keeping your eyes open for gifts throughout the year and by the time Christmas rolls around, or any other holiday for that matter, you will already be prepared.  Plus this helps you to save quite a bit of green in the long run if you only buy items when they go on sale.  Best of all you eliminate all those last minute hassles when looking for gifts which can save you time and a whole lot of stress.  

4. Don’t forget to take care of you too.  Things like sleep, diet and exercise have a profound effect on how much energy we have and how well we handle stress when it comes up.  Help yourself to stay on top of your game by making sure your body gets enough sleep, the right foods and moderate exercise.  By taking care of yourself you will find you have more energy and things don’t stress you out as much as they used to. 

5. You don’t have to be everywhere at once.  Married couples especially are subjected to this very common holiday stressor.  They feel they have to attend all the family functions, no matter how hectic it may be for them.  Decide before the holiday season where you will be going this year and then next year you can attend the other side.  Or you can attend one family gathering one day and the next day attend the other, provided they are within a reasonable driving distance.  The point is to take charge of your holiday obligations and decide in advance what you will and won’t be doing, thus eliminating stress and allowing you to have a more enjoyable holiday season.

6. Create a budget and stick to it.  We all want to give the best gift we can possibly afford.  Sometimes however we get a little carried away.  Take heart however, great gifts can be found that won’t break the bank or your budget.  By knowing in advance what you want to get, you can take advantage of any sales that come along.  Each item you purchase has already been budgeted for, so when you only purchase it at the sale price you are saving yourself money.  And saving yourself money is a great way to reduce stress, besides it’s not necessarily the cost of the gift but instead the thought that counts anyways. 

7. Buy Green.  Recycled items not only help the environment, items that are made of recycled products tend to cost less too.  For a list of recycled gift ideas, looking online is a great place to start.  Remember to create your list and stick to your budget.  A smart shopper is a happy shopper and the more time and money you save, the less stressful those holidays will seem.   

8. Stay at home this year.  The holidays don’t always have to be filled with constant running, various responsibilities and countless obligations.  Have the family stay home this year.  Spend time baking cookies, playing in the snow, making decorations, playing games, finding and decorating the tree and whatever else you can think of doing.  You’ll be spending quality time together as a family, while creating new holiday traditions and precious memories for years to come.  Plus by eliminating all the running around you’ll find the holidays much more enjoyable and less stressful.

9. Give yourself a holiday.  Before or even after the holidays, take a day or two to do something that you want to do.  Whether it’s a small getaway or just a day at the spa, doing fun and relaxing activities will help you to unwind and recharge.  Go golfing, get a massage, try yoga, go to a movie, go for a walk, whatever you choose to do, you’ll find the holiday season more enjoyable and less chaotic.

10. Share the holiday responsibilities.  You don’t have to try to be superman or superwomen during the holiday season.  Ask other family members to help with some of the planning and preparations.  Sharing the responsibilities helps to take stress off of you while allowing others to have a chance at helping plus giving them a sense of accomplishment.  Everyone will feel a sense of camaraderie, plus this is a great way to reconnect with various family members.  After all the holidays are all about family, so the family gathering should also be about giving and receiving help during the festivities. 

Holidays are stressful enough as it is.  With everything we do, plus our various responsibilities, it’s a wonder we survive intact.  Don’t let another holiday season make you want to head for the hills.  By taking time for you and eliminating holiday stressors, you enable yourself to give more to your loved ones, without wearing yourself so ragged.  The holidays are meant to be enjoyed by all, so try to remember this year to give to yourself as well as everybody else.  After all, the holiday season really is all about giving.  Take care and Happy Holidays :-)