Podcast Episode 159: 4 Easy Ways to STOP the Holiday Stress

The holiday season should be a time to celebrate and enjoy the company of family members and friends. Unfortunately, it can often become a source of dread and anxiety due to holiday stress. But there are ways to fend off holiday stress!

Here’s how you can reduce holiday pressure and make the most out of your holiday…

Brain Dump Those Holidays Expectations

If holiday stress is the result of having too much to do and not enough time, brain dumping and planning ahead can help you keep your sanity!

Sit down and make a list of all the things that you feel you are responsible for during the holiday season in your family. If you have a parenting partner, ask them to sit down and make their own list of what they think they are responsible for as well.

Even science is behind it. Although the research on brain dumping is limited, a 2021 study found that brain dumping helped lessen student’s cognitive load.

Once you are done, read your lists to each other out loud. Sometimes, it’s only when we hear what we are doing does it really sink in if we have too many expectations put on us. Self awareness is the first step to creating healthy habits.

Instead of expecting holiday perfection, focus on what’s most important to you for the holidays. And see what responsibilities you can either take off the list altogether or ask your parenting partner to take on.

Get Creative With Gift Giving

If holiday stress is caused by holiday shopping and trying to find that “perfect” gift for someone, try these less traditional gift ideas:

Experience gifts like passes to the zoo or a membership to a favorite museum or trampoline park
Snappy gifts! We recently had a chance to try them out, and we are impressed! This gift-giving platform lets you set your budget, browse curated gift collections, and send gifts in an instant! You choose to send your Snappy gift via email or text and your gift recipient gets to select the gift they want from the curated collection you chose. It’s that easy! *Use the discount code NOGUILT15 to get 15% off your Snappy gift purchase!
Gift cards get a bad wrap! They are an easy gift option that works for so many people. Don’t think that because it’s a gift card it’s any less than a wrapped gift.

Instant Meals Are Still Yummy

Instant meals can still be delicious, so don’t feel like you need to slave away in the kitchen all day! So don’t be afraid to stock up on those frozen pizzas, instant mashed potatoes, or boxed desserts!

They are still a meal and will take a fraction of the time it takes to cook from scratch leaving you more time to do the other things you really want to do this holiday season!

To Fend off Holiday Stress: Tell the Elf to Take a Hike!

If doing certain traditions like the Elf on the Shelf or Advent Calendars or anything else has become just another task that stress and a lack of time have sucked all the fun out of, consider retiring it. Or at the very least, passing it on to another family member to take charge of.

Trust us, your family would much rather have a happy mom than a stressed-out one with a mischievous elf!

We all know the holiday season can be stressful, but there are ways to make it more enjoyable, and limit how stressed out you are feeling.

By managing your expectations and taking some time for yourself, you can reduce holiday stress. Get creative with gift-giving ideas or go for instant meals that taste just as good.

With these tips, you can enjoy a less stressful holiday season.

Resources We Shared In This Episode:

No Guilt Mom Podcast Episode #157: A Quick Practice for More Positivity

Balance VIP Coaching Program– Are you stressed out, feeling like you’re doing it all on your own? Get the support you need to break through your overwhelm and follow-through on your goals – while still being an amazing mom in this exclusive coaching program for women!

Snappy– Use the discount code NOGUILT15 to get 15% off your Snappy gift purchase! Snappy is the all-in-one gifting platform that offers simplified solutions for all your gifting needs. Set your budget, browse the expert-curated gift collections, and send gifts in an instant!

No Guilt Mom Mindset – A free printable with our six No Guilt Mom Mindsets to help you second guess less, and feel more confidence every day in your parenting.

No Guilt Mom YouTube Channel Watch the podcast episode on our YouTube Channel! While there, check out everything we have and subscribe to be notified every time we have new videos added for parents and kids!

Download the podcast episode transcripts HERE!

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