During this time of the year managing work, holiday shopping, family, friends, and decorations life can become stressful very quickly. Here are some ideas to get that holiday stress out of the way.
1. Plan Ahead – If you know you would like to have the holidays off or have planned certain events to go to during the holiday season, plan ahead to avoid the last-minute tasks and unexpected workloads. This gives you and your boss a good understanding of how to play out the holiday season for you. You may even be able to set your schedule so that you can leave earlier than usual giving you more time to focus on the holidays and family.
2. Avoid Multitasking – Multitasking is always the worst during holiday season, the last thing you want is to get caught by your boss ordering Christmas presents while you’re supposed to be making spreadsheets. Plus, it makes doing tasks seem harder than they need to be making your brain focus on multiple things. A recipe for a migraine.
3. Create an organized To-Do list – Creating a To-Do list may seem like it could cause more stress for some people but, in this time, it can help prioritize what needs to get done. Rather than just listing everything out, organize them by priority making the more urgent tasks first, so that you think to do them first. This can take stress away rather than last minute cramming for something you knew needed to do.
4. Keep your work, at work – your home should be your happy place, a place where you can sit down and be instantly relieved. Taking your work home will just bring more stress your way because you will feel the need to constantly work all the time which doesn’t give your brain the break it needs. Try and stay focused at work and get what needs to be done, DONE. That way you won’t need to be stressed 24/7.
5. Get into the holiday spirit – It’s the most wonderful time of the year, so why not enjoy it? Decorate your living space, go holiday shopping with your friends, spend time with family, and go get that overpriced Starbucks drink just for the new holiday cup. You may work during the holidays, but that does not mean you cannot have a good time.
6. Treat Yourself – Give yourself some alone time to wind down and let everything go. Binge watch a new Netflix series and order your favorite food. You deserve it. Working around the holidays can be extremely stressful and sometimes giving yourself the needed time can be all you need.
7. Convince you co-workers to join the fun – Sometimes making your office space even a little festive can make your mood at work better and less stressful. Holiday work events can be fun too so do not be so quick to skip them. Making connections in your workplace is never a bad idea, it is just another opportunity.
Now let’s breathe, relax, and make those coins so that you can rebuild your bank account back up from all of those gifts you bought for everyone else and yourself.