December is here. Thanksgiving, Black Friday, Small Business Saturday, and Cyber Monday are all behind us. My inbox is jammed with sales and specials from Vista Print to Saks Fifth Avenue and everything in between. The Holidays and the New Year are quickly approaching. Is your blood pressure rising just reading this?
The holiday season together with the end of the year can create a very stressful time period, especially for start-up business people who are also parents. You know exactly what I am talking about….
In business, we rely A LOT on ourselves for many small details, so this time of year becomes more than hectic. There are personal and professional holidays cards to go out, gifts to buy and send for family AND possibly customers/clients/associates, holiday parties, family dinners, expenses to gather, business and personal travel to navigate, school vacations, daycare closures, babysitters spending time away, end of the year numbers, goal setting for the new year, and next thing you know it is January 1st!
Recently, I have employed a number of stress reducing tips to help me survive this time of year both as an entrepreneur and mom. If we are so frazzled when the New Year arrives, we will start off on the wrong foot, and no one wants to do that!
5 Ways to Lighten Holiday Season Stress:
Do NOT hesitate to shop online. Online Shopping is easy, and guess what? If you wake up just a half hour early or stay up a tiny bit late on one or two occasions, you can get all your shopping finished (right from your own comfy couch). You can find everything from unique start-up business items to big box retailers online. Make it simple…..find one or two items that you like, and buy a bunch of them.
Search for a bigger discount and/or free shipping. There are many discount code sites where you can access savings available for cyber shopping. Saving a few bucks here and there is a fabulous anti-stress technique if you ask me! I like Retail Me Not. Just search for the store or item, and save more….
Do not let exercise and health fall by the wayside. This is a biggie! Often when we are eating holiday goodies and extremely busy, the first thing to go is our workout plan. This is a BAD idea because exercise is stress relief and we all know we need just that during this time of year.
Do NOT apologize for taking time with family. As parents in business, this time of year requires taking some time off to be with family – No explanations necessary. Enjoy your time with the kiddos, nieces and nephews! Have a big order to fill? Major paper filing to do? Or even serious gift wrapping?….Make it a Family Affair!
Saying NO is OK. Although we want to attend every party, bake a goodie for every bake sale around, visit every relative, and make time for each and every cause, WE CANNOT! Say No to just one or two items on the list, and guess what? You may just find the time to fit in your exercise!
Happy Holiday Prep to all of you….Rachel
Looking for more work/life balance exploration? Visit me at http://backngroovemom.com
