Tuesday, December 17, 2013

It’s the time of year when many people find themselves rushing around, shopping, cleaning, and baking for the holidays instead of relaxing by the fire – and to an extent, that’s part of the holiday mystique.

But, points out health blogger Edie Dykeman, if the chores and errands sap your energy and ruin your enjoyment of the season, it’s time to take a second look at how you spend your time.

Dykeman offers four simple ways to help reduce holiday stress:

• Plan ahead – Being organized is half the solution, so get out your calendar, make a few to-do lists, and set a reasonable gift list and budget. Calendar all the season’s parties, school programs, and other family activities. Then set aside blocks of time for each major chore, such as shopping, wrapping, and cooking – and set aside some “you” time to relax in whatever way you wish.
• Delegate – Beware of trying to do it all yourself. If you can afford to hire some housecleaning or decorating help, do so. In any case, enlist the help of the family. What chores are the kids old enough to do? Make the fudge? Address holiday cards? Run the vacuum? Old habits die hard, but make the effort to take some pressure off yourself by enlisting the help of others.
• Celebrate the season – Forget perfection. How beautifully your gifts are wrapped and how many dozens of cookies you bake will not truly affect anyone’s enjoyment. Take the time to enjoy caroling, chatting with friends by the fire, even playing some games with the family. There is no greater obstacle to a happy holiday than exhaustion. Do whatever it takes to avoid it.
• Look ahead - Keep the lists, recipes and schedules you create and store them away to use again next year. Do some after-holiday bargain shopping and store away gifts for future giving. As you travel around throughout the year, be on the look-out for gifts, stocking stuffers and holiday decor to help you get a jump on next year’s holidays. 

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