Oh Joy! Tips to deal with Holiday Stress

Finding Joy During A Stressful Holiday Season

Welcome to the Holiday crush! Between the school’s holiday play, work obligations, Christmas parties, and gift shopping, the weeks leading up to Christmas can be so busy and stressful. It’s easy to get overwhelmed. While you’re pushing to keep up with all the obligations, by the time Christmas arrives you’re exhausted and realize you’ve blown through the entire holiday season without stopping to enjoy it.

So, let’s step back for a moment and re-think this season. There are a few simple things you can do to make sure you can enjoy the Holidays, no matter how busy you are.

Stop And Smell The Poinsettias

I know poinsettias aren’t known for their scent. But when you’re busy, it’s hard to notice the fun little things this time of year has to offer. Challenge yourself to stop at least once a day and ‘smell the poinsettias’. Take a break to enjoy a cookie and your favorite cup of coffee (or cocoa!). Spend a few extra minutes when you’re driving with the kids in the evening and go look at lights. Turn on Christmas tunes and sing and dance through the house. Just stop and have some Christmas fun for a few minutes. It’s a great stress buster.

Get Your Own Little Elves

Santa doesn’t do everything on his own, and neither should you. Learn to delegate! Get the kids to help clean up after dinner or with other daily chores. A quick family tidy up session before bed helps create a less stressful morning and a prettier holiday setting. You can even enlist family members to wrap each other’s presents.

There’s no better time than the present to get good at delegating. Extra hands to help with your to do list will free up a little time here and there to enjoy the season.

Making A List And Checking It Twice

Last but not least, learn to prioritize. Make a list of what you need to get done today, this week, or before Christmas. Prioritize each item, then go back and check it again. Give yourself a break and cross off anything you don’t really need to do. There are a lot of things we do just because we’ve always done them, and it’s amazing how liberating it can be to cut nonessential tasks out of your life. When you stop and challenge yourself to focus on the important stuff, it becomes much easier to cut out busy work. That in turn greatly reduces the length of our to-do list and with it the stress we’re under to get everything done.

Follow Santa’s example and just like him you’ll find joy during this busy holiday season. Merry Christmas!

Finding Joy

You don’t have to look far to find Joy for the Holidays. Just click the button below to download your free Joy Holiday printable!

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