3 Simple Tips to Avoid Holiday Stress this Season

The holidays are just around the corner! I, for one, can't believe it's already time, but the calendar is telling me it's time to get my butt in gear and prepare for the holidays. I used to dread the holiday stress that comes with this season. I worried about ruining my health goals, all the extra activities and events that come along with the holiday season and picking out the perfect present for everyone in my family, but not anymore! 

Over the years, I've picked up a few tips to help me avoid all the holiday stress. Now, I want to pass them on to you! These tips will help you stay on top of your health goals and will help you stay sane, and possibly even cheerful, during the busiest time of the year. 

1. Get in the right mindset. 

Mindset is everything! Whether you're approaching a party with temptations galore or braving the mall on Black Friday, you have to prepare your mindset ahead of time in order to get through it all. 

The best piece of advice I can give you is to state your intentions, or goals, for each event. Let's take a holiday party for example. You know that you will be tempted with cookies, cakes, pies, drinks and so many other delicious foods. You want to have a good time, but you don't want to regret giving in to temptation tomorrow. Before you go to the party, tell yourself you will indulge in five of your favorite treats. After that, you will stick to water and the veggie platter. 

Having a game plan before you hit an event will keep you on track and will still let you enjoy the event. I wrote a post this summer about enjoying a BBQ and it has a ton of great party tips, feel free to look at it if you need more help braving holiday parties!

2. Put everything on the calendar

With event, after event, after event, your schedule is bound to fill up quickly. It’s even more critical this time of year that you find a way to keep track of what each member of your family has going on so that you can stay on top of everything. 

I like to pull out my calendar (my wall and phone calendar) and write down what everyone has going on. I especially love using my phone calendar because I can sync it with my husband's phone. We can break up who needs to be at which event for our kids, so that we share the responsibility. My wall calendar helps me to quickly look at everything that’s going on. It helps me from overbooking because I can physically see what I have going on each day. 

Don't forget to keep in mind what you have to contribute to each event. If you're not hosting Thanksgiving, but bringing a side, you don't want to leave it until the last minute because that's what causes holiday stress! Maybe even take a couple of minutes at the beginning of each week to review your commitments, and plan out how you’ll fulfill them. 

3. Set gift-giving expectations.

Raise your hand if you are the one responsible for getting presents for your kids, spouse, parents, siblings and in-laws. Oh good, I'm not alone. Gift giving is the biggest holiday stressor for me! I want to get everyone meaningful gifts that they will love, but it is so much work! Because it falls so heavily on me, I've learned that I have to set expectations for my family. 

The best tip I have is to get the whole family involved. Don't take it upon yourself to brainstorm all the gifts. Ask your children what they would like to give their siblings. Once they decide, you can either buy it for them or have them help you shop, whichever is easiest for you! Ask your extended family for an Amazon Wish List, that way you can get them something they want, and get it to them in two days, heck Amazon will even wrap it for you! #LifeSaver. Once you tell your family what you expect of them, they can help take some of the pressure off of you. 

The extra costs of the holidays bring on a lot of holiday stress. On top of your normal expenses, you're spending a lot more on food and gifts during the holiday season. Setting a budget - and sticking to it - can help you and your spouse avoid a lot of stress during this magical time of the year. 

Think about how you can give of your time or your talents rather than your money. Maybe instead of sending your in-laws a huge gift, have your kids create something meaningful for them. Bake something for your neighbors instead of giving them expensive gifts this year. Volunteer in your kids' class more often instead of buying their teachers a gift.

Remember, the holiday season is supposed to be joyful. Don't spend the next two months stressing. Plan ahead, stick to your plan and you might just be able to enjoy the holidays this year!

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