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The holiday season is a time of joy, of connecting with family and of creating memories. While there is so much to do to prepare for the holidays, and the to-do lists are long, it doesn’t have to be a stressful time? Many tasks can be done calmly and even enjoyably?
According to Positive News, there are lots of ways you can reclaim the calm and go through all you need to do in a more relaxed and enjoyable fashion. Use these five strategies and bring meaning and magic to this wonderful time of year without added stress..
Choose Your Screen Time With Intention
During the holidays and any time you may have off from work and school, you might notice that you spend more time on screens. It is important to remember that what you see and watch is up to you, and that you are in control, not your news feed on social media or whatever comes up automatically on your favorite platforms.
If you feel like social media is making you anxious about the holidays, you can choose differently. You are in charge, not the algorithms. Be in touch with yourself and only spend time online on things that make you feel the holiday joy, and not the opposite.
Quiet Time Before Starting Your Day
If you feel like you are running around trying to cram in cookie baking, gift wrapping around all the shopping, you are not alone. And it doesn’t have to be this way, reports the Los Angeles Times.
An amazing strategy you can use to slow down and not feel like you have to run from one activity to the next is starting your day with what is called a silent morning. All you need to do is intentionally wake up early, light a candle and spend some quiet time by yourself either thinking, journaling or just being. Doing this for even just five or ten minutes can change your whole day and give you a certain peace and calmness you may be looking for especially during this holiday season.
Choose Connection Over Perfection
Sometimes, it really is all about the mindset. And maybe all it takes is thinking about why you are doing what you are doing. Why are you going to so many stores trying to find the perfect gift? Why are you spending so much time cooking so much? Why are you so stressed in the first place?
If your answers have to do with wanting to create wonderful memories and making others happy, it makes sense. Of course you do. At the same time, wouldn’t your loved ones be calm and happier? Wouldn’t that create happier memories? Perhaps choosing to stay present rather than trying to be perfect is what it’s really about.
Choose Your Activities
You don’t have to say yes to everything. The Atlantic explains that you can choose to say yes to the activities that are the most meaningful to you and your loved ones, and no to the rest. There is no need to say yes to everything.
If you think about it, it makes lots of sense. Quality over quantity is usually the way to go. And if some things are feeling stressful or overwhelming, you are allowed to let them go. Prioritize the activities and things that bring you the most joy and peace.
Visuals and Charts
Sometimes seeing things on paper, in a physical form, can make things way less stressful. Creating charts and lists that everyone in the family can see is a great idea, according to a blog on Being Dads. It is a way to get everyone on the same page, literally. When children and family members see what will happen and when, it lowers the stress and manages expectations.
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