Unless you are one of those people that does things perfectly and effortlessly (which I’m certainly not), you may find yourself a little stressed during the holidays. There is a lot to do and we all want everything to be special and wonderful for our families. Well, that means taking care of ourselves while we take care of everything else.
Take Care of You
Thanksgiving is one week away, and I’m sure you have lots of stuff to do. However, today is “take care of you” day. Now, now, don’t shake your head and sigh. Keep reading…
I know you probably can’t take an entire day off, and I can’t either, but you can set aside some time for yourself. Today is the day. Do whatever it is that makes you feel good and forget about everything else for just a little while.
Do something you really love whether that means hiking or taking photographs, reading, soaking in the tub, or sneaking off to get a massage. Go for it. You’ll feel much better afterward and you’ll shake off some of that tension, which means you’ll be able to concentrate better and get more done later. See, now you have to do it for the sake of getting more done!
Walk Away
Another useful technique is to simply walk away from your long list for a little while if you’re feeling overwhelmed or frustrated. Do something else and clear your head. Pick up the phone and chat with a friend. Look up jokes online and have a good laugh. Turn on some music that you know all the words to and sing along. Dance. It feels good!
Pare Down Your List
Look over your list carefully. Is it even possible to get everything done? If there are things on your list that are not essential, mark them off the list. For things that have to be done, get organized and make a plan to tackle them, but don’t resist enlisting help.
It’s all going to work out and Thanksgiving is going to be great. We just have to remind ourselves not to let stress take all the fun out of it.
Related Reading:
Enlisting Help for the Holidays
Thanksgiving: Turkey Day Checklist