Your Holiday Stress Survival Kit: Simple Tips for a Calm Season

The Falliday season is upon us. The fall and holidays are my favorite time of year. The decor is colorful, music is festive, and the aroma of live Christmas trees and baked items are inviting. Yet, according to American Psychological Association, 89% of Americans report feeling stressed during the holiday. This is likely you or someone you know. So take a few moments to read my holiday stress survival tips.

Self-love is Essential

The first thing you will want to do is take care of yourself. Self-love is even more essential during the busyness of the holiday season. Here are a few things that are vitally important.

• Sleep: Eight or nine hours of sleep resets the body.
• Eat/Exercise: Oh the double E’s are tough during the time. Healthy eating keeps your body functioning well. Exercise reduces stress. You may not have time for an hour workout. I don’t. Just 15-minutes a day, consistently, will make a huge difference.
• Aromatherapy: Do you want to promote a healthy, calm mood? This is one way to go. My favorite go-to product for this is the Ginger and Sea Salt Body Rub. Learn how to SPA at home. I highly recommend it.
• Self-love: How will you care for yourself? What centers you? For me, this could include a cup of tea, taking deep breaths, or prayer.

Holiday Stress Survival Tips

First and foremost, set realistic expectations. Prioritize what matters most to you and your family. In reality, no family looks like a Hallmark Christmas movie. That’s totally scripted.

Unquestionably, you should set a budget. Plan early to avoid financial stress.

You will definitely want to keep a holiday calendar. To avoid working from two separate calendars, color-code your existing digital or hard-copy planner or calendar. Keep track of events, tasks, and deadlines. Please, do not overschedule. It’s so hard because we want to do all the things. But you should set time for rest.

Take time to practice gratitude. To increase your enjoyment, reflect on the positive aspects of the season.

Without a doubt, limit your time on social media. Engage with family, friends, neighbors in real life. Oftentimes, social media can lead to comparison and stress.

Practical Survival Kit Ideas

I love holiday baking, but I no longer have the time to do it all in December. That’s where PREP & FREEZE come in. I make my many varieties of cookie dough in September/October and freeze them. This makes life so much easier in December. I sometimes bake and freeze my cornbread at the beginning of autumn and use it for my Thanksgiving cornbread stuffing.

Delegate. This is sometimes hard for women. Why don’t we like asking for help? Please do. You shouldn’t do everything on your own.

Are you hosting a holiday event? If you are busy with an outside job, juggling life with a toddler, or providing care to a loved one, please outsource. If the budget allows, hire a cleaning company for before or after the party. You don’t want to be too exhausted to visit with your guests.

Hire a personal shopper. That’s where I come in. I want you to spend as much time with family and friends as possible. Enjoy the holiday festivities knowing I am here to keep you within budget and help with amazing holiday gifts.

You may consider enrolling with Jafra for the savings. What better way to shop for high quality products than to get it all for 30% or 50% savings?

Let’s Make This Your Best Holiday Season Ever!

With a little preparation and an early start, you’ll see that holiday stress survival is possible. Which tip(s) resonates with you most?