It’s Chrissstttmmaaasss time! But along with the joy and merriment often comes a sense of chaos, a never-ending to-do list and an insane amount of shopping, cooking, present-wrapping and hosting!
I myself am already feeling somewhat frazzled and we still have a few days to go!
So what can you do to make things a little easier as you navigate your way through the Xmas holidays?
Here are 5 simple tips to help you keep your hair on over the festive period.
1. Be kind to yourself
Christmas can bring with it feelings of overwhelm and it’s also a really emotional time, so the first thing to do is – GO EASY ON YOURSELF.
The expectations are high over the festive period and often we try to do way too much and then wonder why the wheels fall off and we end up melting down into a gooey mess of emotions, tantrums and tears. So be sure to be kind to yourself over this high intensity time. Lower your expectations and instead of being a perfectionist, give yourself a break.
2. Make space for Xmas
The reason we often end up feeling overwhelmed at Xmas time is simple: we don’t create space for Christmas. We just pile on a whole bunch of extra things to do and then wonder why we struggle. So during the festive period, something usually has to give. This means – stop trying to do EVERYTHING. If you have a usual routine, cross a few of those things off the list to make room for all of the Xmas commitments you have to get through.
For example, if you usually hit the gym most days, allow yourself a few days off so you have more time to go to the shops. I’m a big fan of not-to-do lists, so think about what you can cross off your list to make your life a bit easier. You can always pick up the slack again in the new year 🙂
3. Stop the people pleasing
Another sure-fire tip is to stop trying to please all the people all the time. Often during the holidays you’ll find yourself hosting family and friends. Be wary of trying to make everything perfect for everyone. Those minute details that you focus on don’t usually make or break a family get-together. It’s more important to just spend time together and have a laugh – so focus on that, instead of nailing the Xmas buffet or creating too many courses and work for yourself.
4. Lighten up!
Next tip? Don’t take things too seriously. At Christmas when there is so much to do and so little time, we can slip into overwhelm and stress can take over. Suddenly what’s supposed to be a light, fun filled time, feels heavy with burden and stress.
It’s only Xmas people!
Try to keep things light and see the funny side. Humour is a wonderful diffuser of stress so be sure to schedule in lots of activities that you know will make you laugh. Think silly Xmas movies, cheesy Christmas songs and fun board games!
Every year in my house we pump the Xmas playlist and it completely lightens the mood! When I say ‘we’ I mean the royal we…it’s actually me who insists on the playlist much to everyone’s chagrin. And yet as much as people complain, you can see them getting into it when no one’s watching.
5. Shift your focus to others in need
And finally, stop making Xmas all about YOU. For many people Christmas is a really tough time so it can help to shift your perspective away from all of your hardships (too much shopping & cooking etc) and to consider others who are much worse off than you.
For many people in the world our stresses are simply first world problems not genuine issues like how to access clean water, escape a war-torn country or find a roof over your head.
Think about what you can do to help someone in need. This year we have put together Christmas presents for the homeless.
We’ve included food vouchers, mince pies, Christmas crackers, hand sanitiser, cleansing wipes and some fruit.
I’m also about to write a nice card to go with each pack today to spread the message that there is kindness in the world and hope does exist even when things may feel hopeless.
We’re going to hand these packs out tomorrow on Xmas eve to give back a little during what can easily turn into an overly commercialized time.
And if you’re short on time, then simply give what you can. Even a few dollars to someone on the street can make a difference to one person’s life.
So that’s it, a few simple ideas to help you make your Xmas the best yet!
If you have any tips of your own to make Xmas a little easier, I’d love to hear them in the comments below.
I wish you nothing but LOVE, lightness and Xmas cheer! HO ho ho!
See ya next year! 🙂
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Love
Zoe B
