Tips to Avoid Holiday Stress
Guys the holidays are in full swing and holiday stress is a real thing! It's so easy for busy moms to quickly begin to drown during the holidays. Every day you're adding new tasks and events to your calendar. Everything you add is something you have to get done in addition to the millions of things you already do on a daily basis.
I don't want to add to your stress by giving you a book to read, so let's jump right in and talk about some ways to minimize and avoid holiday stress.
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6 Tips to Avoid Holiday Stress
Just say no.
This is something I preach in almost every post that relates to avoiding stress of some kind. It's no secret, moms are superheroes. We get everything done. Somehow.
We also tend to have a difficult time saying no. During the holidays, remember this is a time for family. If you're taking on a number of tasks that are impacting your interaction or attitude with your family, just say no. Trust me, they will understand. Although we know you can, you aren't required to do everything.
Plan.
I used to be able to remember all of our events in my head. Not anymore. If you don't use a calendar throughout the year, you definitely should over the holidays. Trying to remember everything is stressful enough. Write it all down. It helps with overbooking as well as finding time for yourself.
Google Calendar is great! You can also purchase a holiday planner like this one.
Prioritize.
Determine what must be done from things that are extra. Make sure you're giving your time to the priorities first. If the rest doesn't get done, don't sweat it.
Remember to enjoy.
I know, I really do. We want our children to have the absolute best memories and holidays we can give them, but don't forget to allow yourself to enjoy them as well. Take something off of your schedule or push it back so that you can take a moment to enjoy the holidays with your family.
Keep your typical routine.
Altering your routine can mess with a person more than they realize. Try your best to keep your typical routine. If you need to wake up a bit earlier to fit everything in, make sure you are still practicing your typical morning routine before getting started.
If you go to the gym a few days of the week or do a workout at home, make sure you are keeping that up too. Although this can be the first thing moms eliminate to fit in the extra, exercise is a natural stress reliever, so pick something different!
Be flexible.
This is so incredibly hard for me. Once I have a plan in my head, anything that alters that plan causes me anxiety, even if it's not a big deal.
I've found that recognizing the possibility of change before setting my plan helps my reaction when change occurs. Being flexible during the holidays is a must for any busy mom. Understand going into it that things could very well change or move around and you will be just fine!
Don't let holiday stress win!
The holidays can bring just as much stress as they can joy, but if you leap into the holidays with these tips you will enjoy more and stress less!
Don't stress about elaborate Christmas traditions. Choose something easy, but meaningful. Here's a list of Christmas traditions that could work for any family.