How to Manage Stress During the Holidays

The holidays are among us! This is the time of year that should be filled with cheer, happiness, and your all-time favorite sugar cookies (you know, the type with the royal icing? YUM!).

You’re surrounded by the glow of spruce-scented candles, the sound of wrapping paper crinkling, and the scent of vanilla wafting through the air.

This is a magical time of year, yet there’s still a knot in your stomach. It’s the stress that often comes along with the Merry & Bright atmosphere.

Are you looking for ways to manage holiday stress? You’re in the right place! Here are my top Holiday Stress Tips that will help you navigate the season with glee!

Holiday Budget

From the second you hear the words “jingle bells” being thrown around, a budget should be put into place for your holiday shopping. To avoid the holiday overspend, write down a clear, concise plan of who you need to shop for and how much you are going to spend. With online shopping becoming the “go-to” method this year, it’s very easy to “add to cart” while overlooking the total.

Struggle to monitor your spending on the web? Here’s a friendly pointer. Delete any auto-saved cards on your desktop or mobile devices. Making that spontaneous purchase may not be so tempting if you need to get up and find your wallet!

Holiday Organization

It’s tricky to stay organized when you are being pulled in so many different directions. There’s work and family and shopping and bills to pay and. . . oh my! By the time you know it, December 24th sneaks up on you and you’re not ready! But don’t stress. . . this can be avoided with the help of organization apps!

Christmas List: This app makes gift buying a breeze! Trying to coordinate what to buy the kids with extended family? Christmas List will help avoid the double buying of that princess doll, all while keeping track of your budget!

Cozi Family Organizer: This is the do-it-all app for organization that will keep track of where everyone should be on what day, what you’re having for dinner, and what you need to pick up from the grocery store!

Trello: Are you a dedicated list-maker? If your answer is yes, then Trello is for you! Use it to create Christmas lists, to-do lists, and more!

Holiday Traditions

The lights festival, the cookie baking, the ornament making, the visit to Aunt Tilly’s for that gingerbread house competition. . . The list of holiday traditions go on and on. And on. The thought of squeezing all of the holiday experiences in can lead to HUGE holiday stress. After all, there are only so many weekends in December!

Instead of making sure you’re crossing every single tradition off of the list, choose your top 3 and enjoy them! By choosing several events rather than ALL of them, you’ll be more likely to savor every moment rather than feeling rushed to begin what’s up next on the schedule.

Holiday Boundaries

The holidays are a time for giving and helping. But that doesn’t mean you need to lend a helping hand every time you’re asked. It’s great to give and help but it’s not so great to stress! If you don’t have spare time built into your schedule, please know it’s quite alright to say no.

Which brings me to my next tip. . .

Holiday Self Care

Self care is key year ‘round, but often gets neglected during the busiest time of the year. Pencil in time for a bubble bath, a moment to yourself or even a short meditation session.

Continue to eat real food, rather than just an easy grab n’ go meal or treat from the kitchen cake platter, to stay nourished throughout the season. Keeping fruits, veggies, and protein packed snacks on hand will help make this an effortless task.

And remember, while shopping is a form of cardio you should still be finding time for a daily exercise routine. Whether it’s a ten minute walk around the block or a quick video of your choice, working out will release endorphins which block the stress!

Holiday Playlist

While the entire mood around the holidays focuses on cheer and joy, that’s not always the case. With the already gloomy tone of 2020 and the disappointment of not spending the season with your loved ones like in the years past, it can be difficult to keep the spirit alive.

Get into the mood to celebrate with a seasonal playlist! Turn Alexa to Volume 10, request your favorite holiday playlist, and let the tunes do the rest! You’ll be dancing, decorating, and dashing to the oven to take out those freshly baked cookies in no time.

Do you have holiday tips that help to keep the stress away? I’d love to hear about them in the comments below.

Happy Holidays from the ekwani consulting family!