Ten Ways to Reduce Holiday Season Stress

The holidays are supposed to be a joyous time to spend with family and friends. Most often the holidays leave us feeling stressed and overwhelmed. Get organized, plan, and prepare and I guarantee you will reduce your stress this holiday season.

Here are my top ten tips to reduce stress during the holidays:

Plan. Stop running around like a chicken with your head cut off. Think about writing out meal plans, food shopping lists, gift lists, etc. Don’t save everything for the last minute.

Utilize a calendar. Write everything down so you don't forget important appointments and events. Schedule your workouts and shopping trips. Make an appointment to do your laundry, ironing, and housework. 

Clear the mental clutter. Mental clutter is a distraction. It will cause stress, anxiety, and will make you feel overwhelmed. Get everything out of your head and onto paper or into your electronics.

Start writing shopping lists. Try to limit trips to the market to once a week. Do you really want to be stuck in traffic this time of year? Make one trip to the market; reduce your stress, save time, money, and gas.

Break up tasks. Don't try to tackle everything all at once. On Friday, look at your week ahead and plan out your errands and chores. 

Prepare. Whatever you can prepare ahead of time, start preparing now. If you have guests coming, prepare your home now and organize. Purchase what you can for food and baking. 

Take care of yourself. You’ll be of no help to anybody else if you don’t take care of yourself first. Take an exercise class or go for a silent walk without music. After you do this, you’ll feel rejuvenated; you’ll see things more clearly and will be more mindful!

Declutter your home. You want to feel at peace, relaxed, and comfortable in your home. Declutter and reduce your stress level.

Write daily to-do lists. You’ll feel a sense of accomplishment when you cross items off the list.

Organize. Working with your hands will clear your mind. Organize a drawer when you are stressed and think about how you feel when you are finished.

Trying a few of these tips will help reduce your stress and allow you to focus on the more important things during this time. Being organized will give you more free time to enjoy and focus on the events of the season.