Feeling Overwhelmed
Are you feeling overwhelmed? Does life feel like a never ending roller coaster? You are not alone. This time of year is especially busy. Between going to Christmas programs, shopping, baking, working and keeping up with every day life it can all become too much to deal with. Below are a few suggestions to help you cope.
1. Cut back on the number of parties you attend. Rather than go to every party you are invited to, choose to go to the one that matters the most. Maybe you especially want to go to more than one and if that fits into your schedule then go for it! After all Christmas only come once a year.
2. Skip Christmas cards. Now I’m not saying this is something everyone should do, but if this task is so overwhelming to you that you can’t function just thinking about it, then cut it from your life–it’s not worth it, and your true friends will understand. However, there may be a few relatives you shouldn’t overlook.;)
3. Streamline your shopping. How? That’s up to you, but you could try shopping on the internet, cutting back on who you buy for, take one day to do all your shopping and then have a wrapping party that night.:) These are just a few ideas off the top of my head, but I’d love to hear your ideas.
4. Get the family photo done in October. Okay it’s a little late this year, but keep this tip in mind for next year. Trust me on this, after you try going in before the Christmas rush, you will never step foot near a photo studio again during the holidays.
5. Become familiar with the delete button on your computer. It seems all the stores I shop at, plus a few more have my email address and inundate me with several a day.
6. Ask for Help. If there is nothing you can remove from your schedule, try doing the next best thing and ask for help. Maybe you need a deadline extended–ask. Maybe you need to hire someone to watch the kids so you can shop or wrap presents–go for it.
Finally allow yourself to be less than perfect. It’s okay to buy cookies from the store and not make them yourself. In fact it’s fun to buy sugar cookie dough and make cut out cookies with the kids–much faster and just as fun.
Allowing yourself to be less than perfect takes a lot of the pressure off and you will find you are much happier and less overwhelmed.
What about you? What do you do to make the holidays less overwhelming?
