5 Tips to Help During the Holiday Season

The holidays are here. And while this is a joyous time of year, it’s also filled with stress due to unrealistic expectations we put on ourselves to create the perfect celebration. Here are five simple tips to help you get through the season with your sanity intact.

1. Be realistic. You can’t do it all and trying to do it all just leaves you frazzled. Pick a few traditions that are important to you and your family and shoot for those. You and your family will enjoy the holidays more if you’re not all stressed.

2. Learn to say no. You don’t have to accept every invitation or fulfill everyone’s expectations. Say yes to the things you really want to do and politely decline the rest.

3. Delegate. Put your spouse or significant other and kids to work. They can pitch in with the preparations. Let go of how you would do something and let them do it their way. Too many times we are perfectionists and hold on to control instead of just letting go.

4. Take some alone time. Whether it’s five minutes before everyone else wakes in the morning or a solo walk around the neighborhood after supper. It’s important to be able to stop and take a breath, maybe work in a little exercise while you’re at it.

5. Find some non-holiday activity that reduces stress. Listen to music. Work out. Take a walk. When I’m stressed I read. You might not have much time, but even fifteen or twenty minutes can get you back on an even keel.