Handle Your Stress When The Holidays Roll Around

When it's time for the holidays, it can sometimes difficult to handle your stress when there is so much to do.

I don't know about you, but I feel like my to to-do is always long. Add in some Christmas activities and I wonder how I'll get it all accomplished:

• Christmas crafts with the kids
• A visit to Santa
• Holiday concert (and new clothes are needed)
• Traveling
• Wrapping
• Town Square Christmas celebration
• Baking cookings
• Whew!!

Here are a few of my favorite tips that seem to make all the difference between a crabby mom and a joyful mom.

A few moments of goal setting.

You need to make sure that you get a list of the goals you want to meet onto some paper. This way, you have a list of what needs to be done, and you can track your progress by checking off what you have been getting done when you're ready to meet a goal. You'll be able to stick with your goals because it will be great when you are able to see how far you got with your goals. Make sure you take it one goal at a time, and break down bigger goals so you can easily meet different parts of that goal.

A few moments of enjoying a hobby.

I really enjoy beading bracelets and like to make myself one or two new ones before winter.

When you start to feel stress, you need to get a hobby that can take your mind off of things. For instance, if you like to read then you should always have a book nearby that you can open up and start reading when you feel your anxiety or stress coming up. This will allow you to distance yourself from the stress until you are able to deal with it. Don't take too many breaks, however, you do need to deal with your stress when you can so that you can get it done and over with.

A few moments of early shopping.

I've found even having a few gifts purchased before Thanksgiving can take the stress out of shopping.

Try getting your holiday shopping done well before the holidays hit. Only save some presents like new movies or games that are coming out for when they are released if they have a release date when the holidays are. If you are able to shop before the holidays hit, then you'll have a better chance at finding the things you need right away. If you take too long with this, then when you go out to shop you're going to be shopping with a lot of other people and that could stress you out quite a bit too.

I hope you'll take a little time this week to figure out what you can do to handle your stress when the holidays roll around.

Here are more resources to help you have a less-stressed holiday season.

The 'Ultimate' Christmas Planner | Simple Catholic Living
http://www.simplecatholicliving.com Thu, 24 Oct 2013 11:00:22 GMT
The 'Ultimate" Christmas Planner is a 96 page e-book to help you stay sane, organized and have fun during the Christmas Season.

Free Printable Thanksgiving and Christmas Planning Guide
http://myfrugaladventures.com Sun, 13 Oct 2013 22:19:19 GMT
So I know we have a few more months until Thanksgiving and Christmas but I wanted to post this free little Thanksgiving and Christmas planner for you. I was in Walgreens this weekend picking up some photos and noticed […]

Christmas Countdown: Your week-by-week guide to getting ...
http://www.largerfamilylife.com Mon, 21 Oct 2013 05:51:20 GMT
Sort through your decorations. Try out the lights and get rid of any broken and damaged decorations. If you like to work to a theme or colour scheme each year plan yours now and order your new Christmas decorations in ...

Menu Plan Monday - Gluten Free Dairy Free Christmas Edition ...
http://onceamonthmeals.com Mon, 19 Dec 2011 12:00:46 GMT
This week if full of easy meals leading up to our big family Christmas Eve dinner, with a few of my kiddos' favorite meals to celebrate having some time off.

Thanks for stopping by,
Suzanne