The festive period can be a time of considerable joy and merriment – when everything goes to plan. But it can also be a time of stress and frustration. Getting more of the former emotions, and less of the latter ones, is often a matter of doing the right planning ahead of time. But what does that mean in practice?
Early Planning and Organisation
The earlier you start your Christmas plans, the better. Compose a checklist a few weeks before the day arrives. It should include all of the things you need to do, and the time by which you should have done them. Ordering presents can be done in November, or even earlier. Food, on the other hand, might be taken care of just a week before the big day. In many cases, you can order meat for Christmas and have it arrive just prior to the day itself.
Anything that can be done early should be prioritised. That way, you’ll avoid the pressure of a last-minute trolley-dash.
Simplifying Holiday Tasks
There are certain ways to reduce the workload, without compromising on the experience you get from the season. It might be that your decorations are too complex and high-maintenance – and that they cause you more stress than they’re really worth.
The same goes for mealtime. Look to do as much preparation as possible ahead of time and warm up your side dishes on the morning of Christmas Day. If you can delegate tasks to friends and family members, then you should do so.
Photo by Anastasia Shuraeva
Managing Expectations and Setting Boundaries
There’s no such thing as the ‘perfect’ Christmas, in the sense of getting everything to sparkle and shine like it does on a TV advert for a popular supermarket. Make sure that you set clear limits for yourself, and that you’re comfortable when things don’t quite live up to your expectations.
Prioritising Self-Care and Mental Health
Make sure that you set a few minutes aside for yourself every day, too – this will help to prevent you from getting bowled over by the occasion. You might use this time to enjoy a favourite activity, like meditating, walking, or playing a favourite video game. If you have relatives or friends over during the days around Christmas, then you might use those spare moments to reconnect with them, too.
If you find that you’re struggling with your mental health over the Christmas period, then you might benefit from professional support. In many cases, the problem can be solved by simply talking to those closest to you – and not thinking about the next job you have to do!
The festive period can be a time of considerable joy and merriment – when everything goes to plan. But it can also be a time of stress and frustration. Getting more of the former emotions, and less of the latter ones, is often a matter of doing the right planning ahead of time. But what does that mean in practice?
Early Planning and Organisation
The earlier you start your Christmas plans, the better. Compose a checklist a few weeks before the day arrives. It should include all of the things you need to do, and the time by which you should have done them. Ordering presents can be done in November, or even earlier. Food, on the other hand, might be taken care of just a week before the big day. In many cases, you can order meat for Christmas and have it arrive just prior to the day itself.
Anything that can be done early should be prioritised. That way, you’ll avoid the pressure of a last-minute trolley-dash.
Simplifying Holiday Tasks
There are certain ways to reduce the workload, without compromising on the experience you get from the season. It might be that your decorations are too complex and high-maintenance – and that they cause you more stress than they’re really worth.
The same goes for mealtime. Look to do as much preparation as possible ahead of time and warm up your side dishes on the morning of Christmas Day. If you can delegate tasks to friends and family members, then you should do so.
Managing Expectations and Setting Boundaries
There’s no such thing as the ‘perfect’ Christmas, in the sense of getting everything to sparkle and shine like it does on a TV advert for a popular supermarket. Make sure that you set clear limits for yourself, and that you’re comfortable when things don’t quite live up to your expectations.
Prioritising Self-Care and Mental Health
Make sure that you set a few minutes aside for yourself every day, too – this will help to prevent you from getting bowled over by the occasion. You might use this time to enjoy a favourite activity, like meditating, walking, or playing a favourite video game. If you have relatives or friends over during the days around Christmas, then you might use those spare moments to reconnect with them, too.
If you find that you’re struggling with your mental health over the Christmas period, then you might benefit from professional support. In many cases, the problem can be solved by simply talking to those closest to you – and not thinking about the next job you have to do!
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