It's the most wonderful time of year...but also the most stressful. There's shopping to be done, parties to attend, work to finish and a long list of resolutions to start thinking of. Even making our to-do lists can feel overwhelming. If the season has you totally stressed and in a holi-daze, we've got you covered with a few tips on how juggle it all with grace.
1. Do all your shopping online: No need to brave the crowds and push through the lines at the mall anymore. Save yourself some time and grey hairs by doing all your shopping online. Most ecommerce sites offer free shipping these days, plus you can easily price compare. Just double check the return policies.
2. Plan ahead: If you're hosting parties, plan ahead as much as possible. Make pie fillings, sauces and other freeazable items ahead of time and store in the freezer until you're ready to work them into your recipes.
3. Don't skip out on meditation time: When we get busy, meditating can feel like another "to-do" that we just don't have time for. Well, we couldn't be more wrong. Simple breathing exercises can be done in seconds and meditations can even be done while walking. Plus, your brain and nervous system will feel an immediate impact.
4. Hit the gym: Now isn't the time to slack on workouts either. And not just because you'll be hitting the holiday buffets hard, but it also supports mood, stress management and increases energy. Even a 5-minutes of aerobic activity can have anti-anxiety effects on the body.
5. Say profound NO's: If saying yes to every party and secret santa is giving you major anxiety, then politely decline. The holidays are about joy, but if you're dreading them because you're over committed, you might need to reevaluate your boundaries.