Tuesday, December 18, 2007

De-Stressing the Holidays

December holidays are often stressful times for many people.

Too much to do.
Too little time.
Too many demands.
Too little money.
Year-end pushes at work that intrude on personal time.
Family obligations.
Travel plans.
Inclement weather. Snow, ice, cold.
Time off from work (or not).
Schools closed and kids home.
Change of routines.

Here are some tips for making it through this holiday season.

When things get frantic (or more frantic or too frantic), stop! Take a short break! Sit down and close your eyes. Take a few slow, deep breaths and exhale slowly. Think, “Relax.” Think, “R-e-l-a-x.”

Will it really matter five years from now what you do or don’t do in the next ten minutes?

Make a list.
Make a schedule.
Make some decisions.
Give the gift of your time with or for someone else.
Say “No” more often.

Decide to enjoy the holidays. Then enjoy them.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Making a schedule is an important one for me. I also totally agree with saying no more often.
Good article Gus.

Anonymous said...

Hey Gus:

Follow your own advice. When you see a garage sale sign or a half-ast flag to this:

stop! Take a short break! Sit down and close your eyes. Take a few slow, deep breaths and exhale slowly. Think, “Relax.” Think, “R-e-l-a-x.”


Isn't this what your state assigned psych ward tells you to do? Freak.

Anonymous said...

i say, sit back with a hustler magazine and box the clown.