Do you find yourself overwhelmed by holiday stress at the end of the year in your business and personal life?
Would you like to turn things around and make the experience as pleasant and as stress-free as possible?
In this article, you’ll find ten smart ways you can beat holiday stress for a more relaxed holiday season.
Key Takeaways
- Holiday stress comes from extra seasonal tasks and responsibilities like gift shopping, meal prep, and attending events
- Managing stress helps save your energy, keeps you calm, and allows you to enjoy the season with family and friends
- Beat holiday stress by planning your time, balancing your workload, shopping early, and wisely accepting invitations
Table of Contents
What is holiday stress?
Holiday stress is stress that is related to holiday planning, preparations, events, and activities.
You may find yourself feeling overwhelmed, frustrated, or tired by the additional tasks and responsibilities that come with holiday preparations.
That can include anything and everything from gift shopping, to meal preparation, to wrapping up work and school, to spending time with loved ones.
What causes holiday stress?
Holiday stress tends to be created by the presence of several key factors all taking place at the same time.
One factor is the sheer number of activities that take place during the holiday season.
You may participate in activities like meal planning and preparation, cleaning your business or home, decorating the interior and exterior of your home, and shopping for and wrapping gifts.
You may also find yourself organizing, planning, and attending holiday parties, performances, and concerts.
Or you could spend your time preparing for and hosting guests, and simply spending time with friends and family.
A second factor is the limited amount of time you have available to plan, prepare, and manage activities.
Holidays often fall on a fixed date or schedule. As such, you must work to have everything prepared before the holiday arrives.
A third factor is that holiday preparations are in addition to your regular schedule or routine.
That being said, you may find spend your time doing double the work you normally would in a given week or month!
Why should you manage holiday stress?
Managing holiday stress seems like a no-brainer. But why should you spend time managing it?
As productivity coach, I think there’s several key reasons that are strongly worth considering when it comes to managing your holiday stress.
One good reason is to protect your energy levels. You’ve got limited physical time and energy to accomplish the many things on your holiday to-do list.
If you want to stay on track with your plans, then you’ll want to get sufficient sleep and rest during this busy time.
Another reason is that it feels so much better to be well-rested and relaxed than stressed and overwhelmed.
And if there’s a way you can feel better throughout the season with just a little bit of planning…don’t you think that’s worth considering?
A third reason is that managing your holiday stress allows you stay cool, calm, and collected throughout the busy season.
And that means you can truly relax, celebrate, and enjoy the holiday season with family and friends.
10 smart ways to beat holiday stress
While the holidays aren’t going away anytime soon, the good news is that you can take steps to help alleviate and minimize stressful situations.
All you need are a few quiet moments to yourself to review your calendar and to-do list, make a plan, and take smart action.
And in case you were wondering, it’s never too late to beat holiday stress.
If you really want to make an impact in your schedule, be sure to identify and address any problems as soon as you can.
This way, you can find a suitable solution that will help you better manage your unique situation.
Review your calendar
Sure, your calendar may be a bit busier than usual, but that’s no reason to put your calendar reviews on hold.
In fact, knowing what your calendar will be like over the next several weeks can help you better plan for and even possibly prevent scheduling headaches.
What’s going on in your schedule over the next few weeks?
Open up your calendar, if need be, and review all your calendar entries with eyes wide-open:
Were you invited to any parties, plays, performances, gatherings, events, functions, meetings, or fundraisers?
Do you have extensive travel plans or a chunk of vacation time coming up?
Do you need time to finish up a project at work or prepare for last-minute school assignment?
Get in the habit of reviewing your calendar on at least a daily basis during the season.
This way, you’ll have a solid grasp as to what’s coming down the pike and can prepare for activities and events in advance.
You’ll also be able to correct any scheduling hiccups like double-bookings, over-bookings, missed entries, and the like.
Balance your workload
The holiday season often means days or weeks’ worth of vacation time.
If you’re planning on taking time off over the next few weeks, you’ll definitely want to properly manage your workload. This is so you’re not sitting in the office or working at the very last hour before the holidays.
Take a moment to prioritize your projects and assignments.
Which tasks absolutely must be completed before you leave for vacation or the end of the year?
If you need help figuring out what’s a priority when it comes to your workload, try using a tool like the Eisenhower Box.
Once you’ve identified your most urgent and important tasks, ask yourself, “What are some ways I can begin work or completed these items, sooner, rather than later?”
Can you reschedule non-urgent tasks for January, delegate time-sensitive tasks, or ask for support or help to get the job done?
Shop early for gifts
Avoid waiting until the very last-minute to purchase holiday gifts.
If possible, try to do your shopping in September, October, or November, or shop for gifts throughout the year for a less-frenzied shopping experience.
If you find yourself shopping for gifts in December, do all that you can in your power to shop smart.
Place online orders early and as soon as possible to ensure prompt delivery.
If you’re shopping at physical stores, do your best to shop early in the day so you can avoid long lines at checkout, traffic, and of course, those parking headaches.
Even if you only cross a handful of gifts off of your list early in the month, it’s better than having to shop for all of your gifts later on.
Consolidate shopping trips
Do you find yourself sporadically shopping for holiday gifts, picking up a sweater here, a book there, and a tablet in between?
That time can quickly add up in your schedule between battling holiday crowds and traffic.
Do your best to consolidate your shopping excursions be it at brick-and-mortar stores or online.
You may find it helpful to create a list of gifts, recipients, as well as the stores or shops you’ll visit.
You can visit a single shopping center or visiting several targeted shopping areas on the same day.
If you’re shopping for gifts online, consider setting aside a few hours for your shopping sessions and to place your orders.
Accept invitations with care
Here’s a friendly and practical invitation reminder for you: you don’t have to accept every holiday party invitation you receive.
Yes, it was nice an invitation was extended to you, but you do have the right to politely decline your attendance to that holiday party or seasonal gathering.
Be extra choosy when accepting invitations during the holiday season.
Consider both your schedule and your energy levels. Above all, don’t be afraid to decline invitations.
Confirm RSVPs as soon as possible
You’ve just received an invitation to a virtual holiday party. What should you do?
You should a decide whether or not you’ll attend a function within a day or two of receiving your invite.
The sooner you make up your mind, the sooner you’ll have one less thing to worry about.
Of course, there may be instances when you need to check your schedule or confirm an existing appointment, but do your best.
If you decide to attend a party or event, send in your RSVP as soon as possible, and be sure to enter the event into your calendar or schedule.
Set a budget of monthly volunteering hours
Helping people in need as a volunteer can be a satisfying and rewarding experience.
You shouldn’t, however, feel run-down, bleary-eyed, and stressed-out during the process!
You’ve also got to take care of yourself and your needs.
To prevent stretching yourself thin during the holiday season, budget a specific number of volunteer hours for each week or month.
Yes, this may seem a tad restrictive, but you will feel better knowing you’ve set aside time to help others and to take care of yourself.
Schedule weekly personal time
It’s extremely important to take personal time for yourself during the holiday season.
You need time to rest and relax between all those parties, events, and functions to gather your thoughts, rest your body, and recharge your spirit.
Pull out your calendar and schedule several weekly breaks or date-nights with yourself.
You can fill these breaks with whatever activities you’d like: catching up on some reading, spending time with a loved one, enjoying a cat nap or two, savoring a hot bath in the tub, or doing absolutely nothing.
Consider paying for a small service
When you’re short on time and energy, consider swapping your stress and headaches for a few bucks.
Having someone else take care of a small chore or task means one less thing on your to-do list….and you guessed it, a little less stress in your life.
Can’t stand wrapping gifts? Have gifts wrapped at a local gift wrapping drive.
Have no time to clean up your yard? Hire a local teenager to sweep up leaves, pick up tree branches, and shovel your sidewalk and driveway.
At your wits’ end when it comes to cooking for a crowd?
Order catering from a local restaurant or pick-up ready-made and prepared foods from a local supermarket or shop.
Cut yourself a break
Certain financial and legal items require your immediate attention at the end of the year, such as completing paperwork, preparing tax documents.
But for everything else, remember, you don’t have to get everything done by December 31st.
The end of a calendar year does not mean you have to squeeze activities into it!
There will be plenty of time to take care of things in future in the following year.
Were you unable to meet up with a friend for coffee in December? Schedule a coffee break for mid-January.
Didn’t finish that personal writing project like you said you would? Complete it the following month.
Couldn’t make it to all of those holiday parties? Make a point to connect with folks in person, via phone, email, or video chat in January or February.
FAQ: How to beat holiday stress
What is holiday stress?
It’s stress related to holiday planning and preparation. It can include going shopping, attending parties, events, and activities, which can make you feel overwhelmed, frustrated, or tired.
What are the main causes of holiday stress?
It’s the large number of social activities during the season combined with a limited period of time. What’s more, you need to fit holiday preparations and events alongside your regular schedule.
Why is managing holiday stress important?
It helps conserve your energy, keeps you calm, and relaxed. It allows you to unwind and enjoy the season with family and friends.
What are some effective ways to beat holiday stress?
Review your calendar, balance your workload, shop early, and accept invitations with care. Confirm RSVPs promptly, set a volunteering time budget, schedule personal time for yourself, and considering paying for small services.
How can you reduce last-minute holiday shopping stress?
Shop early for gifts whenever possible and place online orders in advance. You can also consolidate shopping trips to save time and avoid holiday crowds.
Conclusion
Feeling overwhelmed by the holiday rush? The end-of-year festivities can quickly turn into a stress storm, from gift shopping to endless invitations. But here’s the good news: a few smart strategies can make your season more joyful and less hectic.
Take time to review and apply any of the above tips to your daily routine. You’ll be preparing yourself for a holiday season that allows for genuine connection and celebration, rather than exhaustion. A little bit of proactive planning and self-care goes a long way.
In case we haven’t yet met virtually, it’s nice to meet you! Hi, I’m Rashelle Isip, The Order Expert®, productivity coach for entrepreneurs, small business owners, and executives.
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