The holiday season can be an excellent time to relax with family and friends, yet that doesn’t mean that the holidays are stress-free. You’ve finally got some much needed time off work- and suddenly, there’s a huge list of Christmas chores with your name on it! Before you start to stress out, take a breath, and take note of these five simple tips.
1. Set & stick to the budget
One of the critical things that can be stressful during the holidays is, of course, money. With so much to purchase from the presents to the food, the expenses can really get out of hand. First things first, budget your normal monthly expenses and then delegate how much you can afford to spend. Without this figure, you may go overboard and end up even more stressed in January. Download ‘Honey,’ which is a free extension that you can add to Chrome. The site allows you to find the best online discounts and track down the cheapest price for certain items. Sites like this can really help if you’ve got some last-minute online shopping to do!
2. Put work life to one side
When your career is important to you, it can be hard to be strict on your downtime. Whether you’re in Business Law, marketing, or healthcare, you deserve a break just as much as anyone else. If you’re someone who tends to let their work-life eat into their holiday time, try to be strict with yourself this year. Set those emails to out-of-office, disconnect from your work phone, skip the over-time and just allow yourself some proper time off. If you’re a female entrepreneur, remember- you are in charge, so give yourself the break you need!
3. Regular breaks
Of course, you’re going to be super busy with your cooking, wrapping, organizing, and helping out with your relatives. Yet, there’s only so much you can do in a day. If you don’t take regular breaks from chores, you’ll get run down, tense and won’t be able to enjoy the holiday season properly. Give yourself a few ‘me-time’ breaks each day. Take a walk, do some yoga, curl up with a good book, and sip your favorite holiday tipple. If you have Christmas tasks that don’t get done- so be it. Your health and wellbeing are more important.
4. Delegate to your family
If it feels like your doing everything by yourself -then this has got to change! Write a list of your holiday chores and delegate them to your family. Often, people are really happy to help out (but sometimes they just need a bit of push-or instructions)! Plus, doing holiday tasks together can be more fun. Put on some festive music, grab a glass of wine, and have a team gift wrapping session!
5. Lunch out
If you love cooking, it’s likely that you enjoy this season, even if it can be a bit stressy. Yet, trying to cook and entertain many days in a row can get a little overwhelming. This year, why not treat yourself and your family to a festive lunch out or two? It’s a great indulgence to not have to prep and cook everything for a change (plus no washing up)!
Lastly, ensure that you stick to some kind of exercise regime, even if it’s a few short workouts at home. Increasing your endorphins will help you to feel less stressed plus keep those winter flu at bay.
