Stress Free Holiday Tips
Thanksgiving is done…..NOW WHAT?!
Is the Stress of the Holiday Season already stealing your JOY? Don’t let it!
You DO have a choice! Take CONTROL! and make this year DIFFERENT!
I’ve got a few SIMPLE TIPS to get you started……these are the things I do each year to alleviate the STRESS from my HOLIDAYS! Grab a cup of tea or coffee….decaf, of course….a pad of paper, a pen….light a candle….and breathe a sigh of RELIEF!
Stress Free Holidays
3 Action Steps for TODAY!
With just about 4 weeks until Christmas and so many things still on our To Do Lists, it is very important to keep STRESS to a minimum, after all, you want to ENJOY this season……not DREAD it!
WRITE IT DOWN ~ This is where you do a “brain dump”. WRITE DOWN everything you can possibly think of, large & small, on a piece of paper that you would like to do/get done for the Holiday Season….all those things that keep swirling around in your head…get them on paper…and add to it as you think of things. This could include, but isn’t limited to: decorating, baking, cooking, holiday parties, special events, gift shopping, wrapping, travel, preparing the house for guests, cleaning, etc. This is your Master Holiday List.
DETERMINE THE PURPOSE ~ This is a very important step! This is where you look at WHAT you do for the Holidays and WHY! What is the PURPOSE? For instance, if you attend a family gathering each year and you kind of dread it because of potentially difficult people; you need to determine WHY you keep going? Is there a valid reason? Is it to support another family member? If so, then think about all the ways you can offer support to that person and focus on that alone…..by keeping your purpose for being there front & center, you are less likely to be distracted by other “stuff”!
CREATE A PLAN ~ Now….take that Master Holiday List and begin prioritizing each item into 3 categories: 1) MUST DO/NON-NEGOTIABLE, 2) WOULD REALLY LIKE TO DO, and 3) IT’s OK IF IT DOESN’T GET DONE. Now put the date it needs to be done by next to each item, then get your calendar and begin assigning time frames for each task starting with the MUST DO category, then the next category……breaking larger tasks into smaller more manageable steps. Allow a realistic time frame for completing each task. When it comes to the 3rd category, “It’s OK if it doesn’t get done”, take a good look at that list and determine if anything at all on it needs to be done…if not…ELIMINATE IT! Just this process alone should have you breathing a BIG sigh of RELIEF. Now you know you’ve got everything written down, you’ve got your purpose in focus and you’ve got a plan! Doesn’t that feel better already?!
For more tips for a STRESS FREE HOLIDAY listen to this quick 30 minute call and then download the Holiday Day Planner page! STRESS FREE HOLIDAYS FOR YOU
They are my GIFTS to you!
Blessings & Beauty to you today!
Kathleen
