The holidays should be full of joy, laughter, friends, family, and relaxation. While this can be true, there’s no denying there’s a whole lot of stress surrounding the holidays as well. From planning parties to shopping lists, the holiday stress can quickly take over the fun. Here are some ways to manage your stress through the holidays, so you can focus on the beautiful memories and enjoy yourself.

Learn to Say No to Events

Everyone starts reaching out when the holidays come around, from your distant uncles and aunts to your high-school friends you haven’t seen in years. Suddenly everyone wants to see you! While this is a beautiful thing, having back-to-back gatherings and events can get overwhelming and draining. Learning to say no will save you so much stress, and it will allow you to spend more quality time with the fewer people you want to see. Your loved ones will understand, and you can reschedule for a time after the holidays or when you are less busy.

Be Honest About Budget and Spending

Another cause of stress during the holidays is spending. Be honest and open about your budget with your loved ones. If your friends or family typically exchange gifts, suggest doing a Secret Santa this year. That way, you only have to buy one gift instead of something for everyone. You can also set a lower budget for the gifts. Nobody will mind, and maybe you even spoke up for someone who feels stressed about the same thing.

Get Enough Sleep

We know the holidays are exciting, and the parties don’t stop, but sleep is critical to your mental and physical wellbeing. The excitement only gives you so much energy before you crash and feel exhausted. Try to get enough sleep this holiday season. If you have a late night, try to sleep in a few extra hours or take short naps throughout the day. If you can, don’t book back-to-back late nights so you can catch up on sleep in-between. Alcohol can also impact your sleep quality, so try to limit the drinks as much as possible.

Use Your Planner

With so much going on, it’s easy to forget an event or double-book yourself. Your planner will save you this holiday season. Carry it with you and write everything down, from your appointments to every gathering with friends and family. This way, you know exactly what’s happening, and you never have to panic last minute to get ready for an event. You can also quickly check whether you’re available for more plans or whether your calendar is fully booked.

Be Realistic with Expectations of Yourself

If you’re a passionate party planner, the holidays can either feel like a dream or a nightmare. From decorations to catering and everything in-between, planning a party can feel exhausting and quickly gets expensive. Be realistic and don’t expect yourself to organize the party of the year. Often, nobody will notice the missing decorations or one less appetizer. Make sure that you also enjoy yourself.

Gratitude & Granola Guide

This is the perfect season to focus on gratitude, and when paired with a healthy breakfast, it creates the perfect morning ritual to get you on track.

It's no surprise that gratitude can improve your mental health and overall outlook on life, but you might not know that it has many benefits for your physical health, as well. In this guide, I'll take you through six ways gratitude improves your health - and I'll leave you with some simple, healthy breakfast ideas to boot. Get my free guide!