During the holiday season there are increased demands on you along with many activities that only occur at this time of the year. These make it easy to over-commit yourself. Since the holidays last for several weeks, make a deliberate effort to pace yourself and limit the number of activities you do.
One way to do this is to ask yourself the following three questions when you are considering whether or not to participate in some activity.
Do I have the time and money to do this?
Would it be enjoyable, or if not is there some compelling reason to do this?
Do I really want to do this?
Unless you can say “yes” to each of these questions, this is probably an activity you can skip.
As you think about activities that you plan to participate in, identify the people and situations that trigger stress. Then, figure out ways to avoid or minimize them. For example, if visiting a particular relative triggers lots of stress, tell them you can’t make it this year, or, if you feel you must visit them, just drop by for a few minutes, say hello, and explain that you have other engagements.
Likewise, if you find parties and large family gatherings stressful, limit the amount of time you spend there. How much time you spend at the party is usually not as important as being there.
Come late and then excuse yourself early. Showing up is often all that matters. You might also find that bringing a friend can make an event less stressful.
Because the cost of holiday shopping adds up quickly and can make you feel out of control and anxious, draw up a budget before you start shopping and stick to it. One easy way to do this is to make a list of the people and things you want to spend money on along with the amount you want to spend. Make sure the total is within your budget.
After you’ve calculated the total, place that amount of cash in an envelope. Then, restrict your holiday purchases to money from this envelope. When the money is gone, you stop your holiday spending.
One final idea is to avoid the inconvenience, crowds, and horrors of the mall parking lot by doing the bulk of your shopping online. When you do choose to go out, plan ahead, and as best as you can, avoid shopping trips and activities during times of peak activity.
Avoid last minute scrambling to get gifts or buy supplies for cooking. Make lists and have a purpose for shopping trips. In part three of this series, I’ll discuss the importance of self-care during the holidays.
Comments