How to Maintain Your Sanity During the Holidays While Tackling 3 Common Holiday Stressors

Happy November Everyone! We know what that means right?

The stores are filled with Christmas decorations, radio stations are playing holiday songs, the commercials of everything you and your family need have started and the to do list starts to build. For many this joyous season becomes extremely stressful and overwhelming. With a few adjustments in your holiday approach you can maintain your sanity and enjoy the season. Take a look at these three common stressful mindsets during the holidays and tips to cope with them and hopefully bring happy back to your holidays:

The Never Ending To Do List

The holidays can make an already to do list appear like it is never ending. Shopping, traveling, entertaining, along with commitments for work, school, etc can cause great stress and anxiety for many. The feeling of failure may surface if you can't handle it all, which adds more pressure and begins to feel like a pressure cooker. Slow down, breathe and take off your superman/woman cape!

Take time to survey the entire situation. This is the time to come up with a plan. It would be good to print out a calendar for you to begin to schedule your tasks on it. This will help you manage it in small steps and not feel rushed by doing things at the last minute. You can begin to plan out menus, shopping lists and gift lists. You may also enlist in help from others and delegate some tasks to lighten the load. Make sure to schedule in self care - this is a must during the holiday season and the fuel you need to get things done! When you slow down to make a plan you not only think clearer but you begin to minimize the stress.

Financial Overload

The holidays can really push many overboard financially by falling into the traps of marketing! If you have children they are probably circling every item in the catalogs and sale adds for Christmas! You are hearing advertisements on the television and radio of all the great gift ideas for everyone on your list. You may feel the pressure to buy for family, friends, coworkers, children's teachers and the list goes on. It is so easy to get caught up in the madness if you don't have a clear plan.

Set a budget and stick to it!!! There is no need to go into debt and spend money on t

hings you really can't afford. Determine how much you will spend on people. Consider doing a pollyanna with family, friends and/or coworkers. Think out of the box and make homemade gifts such as baking cookies - you can even find beautiful cookie jars at the local thrift stores to put them in; make handmade ornaments, frame some artwork you made or make a memory book for that someone special. These types of gifts are more thoughtful and tend to mean more the person receiving it. Remember the holidays are not about the presents but are about your presence!

Expecting the Perfect Holiday

So you are picturing everyone gathered around the table enjoying a perfectly cooked meal, laughing, sharing stories, dressed in their very best, being kind and nice to one another and after dinner you all gather around the fireplace singing songs while someone plays the piano - WAKE UP!! Yes you were dreaming and this is the perfect ideal holiday for many but is it realistic? Do you have ideas of the perfect holiday? Are you leaving room for any hiccups?

Let's be realistic and lower the expectations. When we are shooting for perfect and leave no room for anything different we will feel disappointed. Be realistic with how things will be, allow for things to not turned out as planned, and focus on the positives around you. Look at what is going well and embrace your "imperfect holiday" with joy!

Wishing you a happy, healthy and sane holiday season!

If the holidays have you stressed and overwhelmed come join us on Thursday 11/18/2021 at 7pm est for an online workshop on how to manage holiday stress!