Stay Sane This Holiday Season: 7 Tips To Make Your Life Easier
The stress of the impending holiday season is enough to take an
experienced host out of their Thanksgiving turkey,
tryptophan-induced coma and turn them into a Christmas-crazed,
Black Friday maniac. With these seven helpful hints, avoid the
fervor of the masses and retain your sanity.
1. Delegate! Although hosting the perfect holiday celebration
may feed your ego, it may also provide you with sleepless nights
before the big event. Don't be afraid to delegate tasks. Send
your spouse to the store with a list of last-minute items; have
your kids vacuum and clean up around the house. When a guest
asks what they can help with or bring, don't look a gift-horse
in their courtesy offer.
2. Watch the clock. If you know the post office or the grocery
store becomes chaotic at 4:30 pm every afternoon, plan your
trips accordingly. Avoiding long lines, impossible parking and
crazed consumers will help you keep your cool. If you cannot fit
these tasks into your schedule at any other time, see tip number
one!
3. Check vacation balances at work. Don't be afraid to ask a
member of management or Human Resources to check your vacation
and floating holiday balances. Many companies do not roll
vacation balances to the next year; if this time is not taken,
it is lost. Use this forgotten vacation time to finish
last-minute details and errands.
4. Give your hand a break! When contemplating all the Christmas
cards, holiday invitations and thank-you notes to be written,
you may already have a hand cramp. Buy an address stamp for those
envelopes or a "Season's Greetings" stamp for your
correspondences.
5. Stay healthy. Get eight hours of sleep each night, drink
enough fluids and take your vitamins. While you're busy taking
care of guests, family and friends, don't forget to take care of
yourself.
6. Shop online. Although there's something immediately
gratifying about leaving the store with a fistful of shopping
bags, shopping online can eliminate the insanity of the in-store
experience. Many online stores offer free shipping, "receive by
Christmas" guarantee dates or a huge variety of gift ideas. Shop
online and avoid the mob flocking to the local mall.
7. Remember the "reason for the season." Instead of allowing the
stress and circumstances to overwhelm you, take a moment to
reflect on why your family and friends are gathering.
Follow these seven tips this holiday season and watch your
tension levels melt away. Don't traumatize yourself by obsessing
over unfinished tasks. That's what family is for.