In between making all your lists and checking them twice, just remember to breathe.
"It's the most wonderful time of the year", as they say, but Christmas also tends to bring a bucketload of stress alongside the merriment.
Between countless social invitations, gift planning, party organising, food shopping, and the seemingly never ending festive to-do list, it's easy to get overwhelmed.
With mere days left in November, we're knocking on the door of December and Silly Season is about to be well and truly upon us. Previous studies prove that over 60% of people experience stress during the holidays. In order to ensure you remain a sane Jane and don't turn into a hybrid of The Grinch/Ebenezer Scrooge - keep these tips in mind.
Breathe
We're not trying to state the obvious here (inhale, exhale, repeat) we mean really taking a step back to catch your breath when you feel overwhelmed. As you re-center yourself, be conscious of your breathing and how your body is responding to it. The meditation app, Headspace, has plenty of short animations that promote calming breath work.
Say No
Unfortunately, the word 'no' is often the hardest one to utter and that can ultimately be why we end up spent in every direction trying to please everybody. If you're too exhausted to attend an engagement or you genuinely don't have time to commit to something, remember it's ok to anticipate that you can't do it all and let people know ahead of time.
Take a Minute
A moment's peace can be difficult to come by at this time of year: use yours wisely! Light a scented candle... take a bath... read a book... do some Yoga... try a face mask... anything that grounds you and leaves you feeling restored amid all the seasonal madness is worth its weight in gold.
Buy Less
It's a statistically proven fact that browsing in a store that plays Christmas music makes you spend more money. Remain alert while shopping - purchaser's regret is far from calming after all. Don't fall prey to mindless gift purchasing just because you feel you should. In fact, read our tips on how to reduce waste this Christmas altogether.
Delegate
If Santa has Mrs Claus, elves, and reindeers - you are certainly entitled to backup of your own. Don't be afraid to call on people to help you with your tasks. If all else fails, give them a boozy mince pie to help twist their arm.
And thus you have it... CHILLMAS.
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