Get Your Holiday Stress in Check, Now
By Brandi Goodman
The holidays are coming quickly, and all the stress that comes with them may already be starting to worry you. You should start to get your holiday stress in check now so you don't suffer the consequences later. Get a to-do list in order and get things organized to help.
Organize Your Decorations and Gear
Chances are, you have a set of decorations for Halloween and Christmas at the very least. With fall decor added in and Thanksgiving items to consider, you may have quite the closetful of items. You should get everything organized in bins and totes so it's easier to manage. Stack them up in order of need -- keeping the Halloween and fall things on top, Thanksgiving underneath, and Christmas last. After they've been used and put away, you can switch their order so the next necessity is at the top of the pile.
Shorten Your To-Do List
You don't want a to-do list that's miles long and can never possibly get done. Instead, work to shorten your to-do list and make tasks as simple as possible. Decorating can be done by two or more people so that's a smaller task to accomplish. If you live alone, you may want to consider hiring someone to decorate instead, or at least ask a friend. Skip the shopping line and order online for a faster process. You could also opt for gift cards or generic gift baskets instead of trying to come up with some extravagant gift for each person in your life.
Schedule Me-Time
Don't let your list become so overwhelming, or say yes to all the parties, if it means you won't have any alone time. You need to schedule your me-time on your calendar so you know you'll have moments set aside for quiet and calm. Set an hour before bed to take a bath and read a book. Designate your favorite TV time slot for watching. Let others know you'll be off the clock on early weekend hours so you can catch up on sleep or simply sit in bed with a good book and cup of coffee.
Stress is at an all-time high near the holidays. Do what you can now to start getting things in order so you don't overstress once the season arrives. Doing so will help your mindset so you can enjoy the holiday season rather than dread it.
To learn more about your health, wellness, and fitness, see your local chiropractor at The Joint Chiropractic in Avon, Ind.