I have to be honest in saying that the title of this blog is a bit misleading. I actually don’t think it’s possible to have a completely stress free holiday, because stress is just a part of life. But I do think it’s possible to minimize the extra stress that arises during the holiday season. With a little planning and strategizing that is.

This week for me is holiday prep time. Instead of getting caught up in the whole holiday frenzy, I’m taking  time out to plan and organize my month ahead. A little planning now can save a lot of stress later on. So if you just got swept up in the whole black friday/ cyber monday chaos, hit pause for a second and slow down. Once you’ve regathered your focus continue reading the rest of this post for my 5 tips on how to reduce your stress this holiday season.

1. Stock up: We all have basic supplies that we know we are going to need throughout the month. Toilet paper, tissues, dish soap, paper towels, stamps, etc.. Maybe there are certain foods or condiments that are staples in your kitchen. For me it’s things like olive oil, tahini, goji berries, protein powder, and oatmeal. I also have certain supplements I take like digestive enzymes, probiotics, and omega 3’s. Make a list of all the staples in your life. And then go out shopping this week and stock up on all of them. Buy enough to get you through the holidays. Obviously you can’t stock up on perishables, but you can save yourself a lot of trips to the store later on if you get what you know you’ll need now.  This will make life so much easier in the weeks to come as the stores and roads become more and more crowded.

2.  Shop local and shop online: There is nothing more stressful then searching for parking at the mall during the holidays. Or standing in a ridiculously long line in a department store. I prefer to skip that chaos and shop online and at local stores in my town. Shopping online has never been easier thanks to sites like amazon. And I love getting out and supporting local small businesses during the holidays. They are usually not nearly as crowded as the mall, and you can find some really unique gifts. So save yourself the hassle of fighting the mobs of people at the mall and shop local and online.

3. Say no: During this time of year you are going to get a multitude of invitations to different holiday gatherings. You don’t have to go to them all. Decide which gatherings you are really excited about attending and say no to the others. Also be realistic and look at your calendar carefully. Do you really want to be out 4 nights in a row the week before Christmas? If you know that it will overwhelm you, say no before you overcommit yourself. And it’s ok, you don’t have to feel guilty. There is nothing wrong with wanting a quiet evening home to save your sanity.

4. Be unbalanced: What?! Isn’t my whole message about living a balanced life? Yes it is. And sometimes that means letting things be unbalanced this time of year. If you are like me and are always trying to enrich and grow every area of your life from your business, relationships, health, etc.. good luck during the holidays. We all seem to have a hard enough time juggling our life and our to-do list on a regular day to day basis. Throw in the holidays and you really have a lot on your plate. Which is why I suggest “neglecting” some areas of your life, just temporarily that is. For me the holidays is all about spending time with friends and family. Therefore I am more interested in putting emphasis on that part of my life and not so interested in worrying about my business right now. I’m not ignoring my business, but I’m also not devoting hours every week to strategize, market, and go to networking events right now. There are only so many hours in the day, and since during the holidays more of my time will be spent with loved ones, something else has got to give. Now believe me as soon as New Years roles around I will be in full on entrepreneur mode! But if I tried to give it my all right now in every area of my life, I would spread myself way too thin and be burnt out and stressed out. Learn to prioritize how you want to spend your time this holiday season and you will be much happier for it.

5. Work with your strengths, delegate your weaknesses: I love to bake and I’m pretty good at gift wrapping too. Cooking a big turkey or ham on the other hand is not my thing. I’m not going to stress out over cooking a big piece of meat, I’ll enlist someone else to do it or I’ll pay for it. Work with your strengths, and pay someone else to handle your weaknesses. If baking is not your thing, buy Christmas cookies and don’t attempt to make them. If gift wrapping stresses you out, invest in gift wrapping services. If you hate putting up lights on the outside of your house, pay your teenage neighbor to do it.  You don’t have to try and be Martha Stuart this season and do it all. Admit the tasks that you could use some help with and delegate them out. This will not only relieve stress, but will give you more time to do the things you love and are really good at.

Follow these 5 tips to help minimize those holiday stressors. This time of year is meant to be joyful and happy. It is meant to be enjoyed. And it goes by so fast. Don’t let yourself get so busy stressing out that you miss the festiveness of the season.

Now I want to hear from you. What are some of your own personal tips that you use to reduce stress during the holidays. Share in the comments below.

And stay tuned next week for some tips on staying healthy this holiday season.