Holiday Stress
It’s that time of year again; the most wonderful time of year! Right!!? Then how come so many of us become so stressed during the holiday season? Because, especially during this time of year there is so much to do and so little time. Being overwhelmed and feeling stressed as we struggle to balance work and family life leads us to thinking these types of thoughts. Any time we feel a challenge or threat to our wellbeing we experience stress. This is a physical and emotional reaction to feeling overwhelmed and has us wondering if we can really cope with all the pressures and demands put on us. With the holiday season here many of us take on extra responsibilities and commitments in addition to our normal busy schedules. In order for us to truly enjoy the season we have to be smart about prioritizing. Listed below are a few tips to help you prioritize.
Be selective.Decide which activities are the most significant to you and your family and commitment to those only.
Plan Ahead.To eliminate the frustration of extra trips or forgotten items make a list ahead of time.This will also help you stay focused and help eliminate distractions.
Strategize.Make a “to do list”, listing your top priorities first.Also notating the time you anticipate each item to take will be helpful to managing your time wisely.
Set Realistic Goals.When organizing your lists be sure to be realistic.Make sure to factor in time for long waiting times, traffic, or weather.Separate your activities (i.e. one day for shopping and one day for baking).
Enjoy yourself!If you plan smart you will be able to relax and enjoy all of your activities instead of rushing through them.Take some time to just live in the moment and realize that if you didn’t get that last batch of cookies baked it doesn’t really matter.What matters is spending the holidays with the people you love and fill you with joy!
Happy Holidays!
