Can you do it? Is it even possible? Can you make it all the way through the holidays and avoid any extra holiday stress? Yes! You can do it! You just need a little help and to try out this list of holiday tips.
#1 Get organized!
Lists, lists, lists! Make a list of everything that you need to do. You can make categories now or later. Add things like, take the family holiday photo, decide on neighbor gifts, Christmas card lists, company parties, family parties, holiday parties. Whoa! Don’t get too carried away but do a brain bump and then prioritize!
Holiday Stress
#2 Make a plan.
This involves determining what on your list you HAVE to get done, what you’d LIKE to get done and what you could do without. Use the good, better and best rating scale to determine what you’d like to accomplish. It really is okay to get some of these little things done.
#3 Delegate.
Who said that you have to do this all yourself? Did you know that you can get a lot of tasks of your list by just delegating? And we’re not talking about delegating to your partner or spouse. And no, you don’t need a personal assistant –although it’s great if you have one. The general average person normal person (that’s you!) can still get help. From hand addressing your Christmas cards to helping plan your holiday party to wrapping your Christmas gifts. There’s a person for that! Use an app like TaskRabbit, Craigslist or just word of mouth to find people that are looking to make a little extra holiday cash but are happy to help you out! Having a holiday party? Consider having it catered.
#4 Check your list and check it twice.
The best thing about a list is that it gives you a sense of accomplishment. Follow up on the items you’ve delegated. Take a minute to delete or cross off your list things that would be nice, but are too stressful to worry about. For example, I’ve spent hours trying to find that perfect sweater or gift for a loved one just to have them return it for what they really wanted. Now I save myself the stress, time and heartache knowing that while it may get returned, I gave a nice gift. So I don’t take as much time to find the perfect gift and get one that is good. And I lovingly wrap it with the gift receipt – saving both me and the recipient some time just in case.
If you find that the holiday stress is something you just can’t avoid, give St. Paul MN psychotherapist and counselor, Benjamin Wolf MSW, LICSW a call at 612-643-1920 to setup an appointment.
