Image courtesy of Stuart Miles / FreeDigitalPhotos.net
The holidays sometimes seem to creep up on us before we know it. We have so much to do on a regular basis that we don’t always realize a holiday is quickly approaching. I know that has happened to me more than once. Keeping our sanity during these times can be a challenge!
So much to do and so little time! Things like figuring out gifts for everyone on our lists, cleaning, decorating, cooking, etc. We want our holidays to be memorable and that can cause us to put more on ourselves that we can possibly do. It can quickly become overwhelming and that can cause a lot of stress which can pick at our sanity level.
The tips below are intended to provide you with some ideas to help keep your sanity in check, so you too can have a stress free memorable holiday!
- Create a plan: When you have a lot to do, creating a plan does a wonderful job of instantly relieving stress; I know it does for me. It doesn’t need to be complex, in fact the more simple the steps, the better. Just write down everything that needs to be done, prioritize the tasks and then schedule them.
- Start planning sooner than later: Some of the tasks may take some time to complete, or may need others to be done first, so the sooner you start planning the sooner you can begin to get things done.
- Schedule some ‘me time’: This is an absolute necessity to include in your plan. We can easily get caught up in the hustle & bustle of tasks to get everything done to make a memorable holiday. Because of this hectic schedule, our stress level can shoot through the roof. In order to avoid that, schedule some time to decompress. These decompression activities are different for everyone, and you probably already know what helps you, so just make sure you include some of these activities in your schedule.
- Delegate: I’m guessing that you cannot do all the tasks on your list alone. You may need some help. Enlist your family members and possibly friends for assistance. Family members may be able to help you with shopping, cleaning and decorating. Friends may be able to help by participating in some much needed ‘me time’ and bringing their favorite dishes to add to the holiday meal.
- Online time savers: The internet is a great place to order items and services from the comfort of your home. It can save a lot of time and money by eliminating the need to drive around from store to store to find the best deals. There are also websites to shop for service providers such as home cleaning services to outsource tasks on your list.
How do you keep your sanity during the holidays?
