Get Organized and Reduce Stress During the Holidays

Why do people stress out during the holidays? Every year we are told by television ads and department stores that this will be the “best holiday ever.”  We seem to create a huge to do list of ridiculous tasks, such as finding matching pajamas for the kids, so they can look cute in pictures on Christmas morning, or looking for wrapping paper that will look good with our holiday decorations.  The Martha Stewart comes out in all of us around the holiday season.  We could sit here and debate all day that all of the extensive holiday preparation that we go through is ridiculous, but let’s face it, even if you know and value the true meaning of the holiday season,  you are going to go forward with the unreasonable checklist anyway. 

If you are a female, and especially a mom, you quickly realize that you are running the holiday show. It does not matter if you are especially busy with your job around the holidays, or if you are in charge of the big pageant at church, or the big party or holiday event at school. You are in charge of your family’s holiday season, and if you do not get it done, then it will not happen.

How do you make it happen and not become stressed?  Here are some tips for Becoming Less Stressed During the Holidays!  The first key is to GET ORGANIZED.  Where to start?  Create a Master List of everything that you would like to get accomplish this holiday season.   Make sure you remember class parties, projects, food shopping, clothing, sending out holiday cards, client gifts, family gift buying, shipping out packages to out of town relatives and clients, etc…  Once you have your list, take a second look at it, and make sure you keep are realistic and not taking on too much. Now is not the time to play the martyr. For example, do not volunteer to be in charge of both kids’ holiday parties if you have a seasonal business, or this is your year to be in charge of the big fundraiser.  If you need to, make your holiday duties light.  People will understand.

The second key is to prioritize your list. You need to find a nice gift for the in-laws and send out Holiday cards, but you do not have to buy new matching pajamas for the kids.  Look over your list and number each item, so you can attack the items in order of importance.