Wellbeing Tips For The Countdown To Christmas

The run up to the festive season can be stressful time.  For some reason it creeps up on us, even though we know it is coming. It is the same time every year after all, but somehow it seems to catch us by surprise! Lockdown has increased our stress levels as we now have limited time to buy and prepare everything we need. The key is to not panic. It will all get done – it always does.

Ask people for help. You can’t do everything yourself, and you’ll end up being too stressed and resentful to enjoy yourself. Make a list, check it twice, and then delegate to other members of your family. Make a promise to yourself that this year will be different – you will be calmer, less stressed, and more prepared.  It should be easier anyway because we are only allowed a limited number of people so that should help.

Here are our top tips to survive Christmas 2020

1. Plan ahead – make lists and tick off items as they get done.
2. Set your intention for the day before you even begin peeling the potatoes.  Know in advance that parts of the day are going to be stressful, and consciously ground yourself and remember what the day signifies to you, and why you volunteered to take on the hosting!  Next year maybe agree to let someone else take the strain.
3. Be in the present moment. Alongside all the work, it is a special day when we connect with family members, and if we are religious, it is a day to remember why we celebrate. Try to pause and take a breath if it starts to get overwhelming.
4. Somethings are going to go wrong. It is a given. Let go of wanting everything to be perfect and then you are not setting yourself up to fail. Those situations when things go wrong form the funny stories to tell later!
5. Once you have bought presents, try to wrap them straight away so that you don’t have a whole pile to do in one go.
6. Delegate jobs to others. You do not have to bear the burden and high expectation of everyone’s perfect Christmas. When things go wrong, laugh and make light of it instead of allowing your stress levels to rise.
7. Make sure you allow enough time for the turkey to defrost (if applicable) and to cook. Check how long it needs in the oven and plan around it.
8. Prepare everything you can in advance so you have less to do on the day.
9. Put on some Christmas music or a good old Christmas movie to get you in the spirit.
10. Pace yourself. You deserve to relax and enjoy the day as much as your guests.
11. Have fun. Go with the flow. The day may not go perfectly to plan, but allow yourself the leeway to let that happen without beating yourself up about it.
12. If all else fails, break out the Quality Street and mulled wine early!

This year can be a doddle with the help of The SMILE System™ Book

At Smile Global, our copies of the SMILE System™ book are being thumbed daily to remind us of the tips and techniques we can adopt to keep us calm and ensure our holiday season goes by without a hitch. For your own copy of the SMILE System™ book, with its powerful principles to help you navigate your way through life’s ups and downs, and particularly the Christmas season, click on the link below.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Smile-System-Powerful-Practices-Triumph/dp/179919292X

A Happy, Healthy Christmas
to one and all.