The holidays can be a very stressful time. From entertaining guests to balancing your holiday gift budget, preparing the house to sending out your holiday cards on time, there’s a lot to think about and get done in an ever-shrinking period of time. With all of this going on though remember the holiday are supposed to be about having fun, relaxing and spending time with beloved family members and friends!

Seems impossible, right? Well, it’s not! This holiday season save on the stress and anxiety of the holidays by following these helpful tips and suggestions, including easy ways to delegate tasks, what to focus and concentrate on and most importantly how to take care of yourself.

Focus on Family & Friends – It’s easy to lose sight of what’s really important during the holidays in the midst of all the chaos but remember the holidays are a time to reflect on your relationships with those you love and care for. The holidays aren’t about how much money you spend, how decorated your house is, or how closely prepared your turkey is to that of a professional chef, it’s about the connections you have and make with other people.

Share The Burden – A person can easily crumble under pressure if they are putting all of the holiday planning on their own shoulders and not sharing the burden. Find ways you can split the responsibilities so that everyone has equal share in the planning and it isn’t all falling on you. If you need to pick up a pie for Thanksgiving and a close co-worker lives close to the bakery ask them if they could possibly pick it up for you on their way into work one day. Have the kids focus on holiday decorations. Ask your spouse to help wrap the presents this year or suggest your older children come up with fun inclusive games for everyone to play at your upcoming holiday gathering.

Plan Ahead – If you’re hosting the big holiday get-together this year be prepared by making list of all that needs to get done and everything that you need - then prioritize. Get the most important tasks out of the way first then later on if you still have time you can move on to things lower on the list. You can also opt for shortcuts like making no-cook appetizers, or forgetting about food all together and having the gathering catered!

Take Care Of Yourself – Don’t overlook your own health while worrying about getting everything done in time for the holidays. Stay hydrated. Start the day off by having some “me-time.” Be sure to get enough sleep at night and eat healthy, nutritious foods that will keep you full and energized. Don’t worry; there will be plenty of time later on to enjoy all of the sweets and desserts that come along with the holidays.

Photo by Ann- Kathrin Rehse via Free Images