8 Ways to Beat Holiday Stress

The holidays are a wonderful opportunity to connect with family and friends. However, with so much to do, they can leave you feeling frazzled, short on time, overspending, and overeating. Do you wish the holidays were more joyful and less stressful? Follow these tips to avoid waking up on January 2^nd feeling exhausted with an abundance of bills to pay and weight to lose. 8 Ways to Beat Holiday Stress-eatsmart

Make a budget

Figure out how much you want to spend this season and stick with it. Be sure to include shipping costs, decorations, food, cards, postage, travel, and miscellaneous expenses as well as the gifts. Write down what you purchase to keep track accurately.

Think quality not quantity

Don’t exhaust yourself or your family going from to event to event. Holiday rituals are not set in stone and skipping something one year isn’t going to ruin the season. Be choosy with the way you spend time and you will be a lot happier.

Give experiences

Give your loved ones a choice: the family can go a vacation (or a fun outing) or they can receive presents. Often, the outing will be more enjoyable and cost effective than a new toy or gadget.

Simplify purchases

Buy the same gift for a few different people. Your sister-in-law and co-worker are not going to know they received the same item. Or stick with a theme and buy everyone new pajamas or a set of TravelWise Packing Cubes. TravelWise Packing Cubes act as small drawers to keep clothes and travel items organized and neat. They simplify the packing process and let your loved one find their favorite shirt without digging through an entire suitcase.

Lower expectations

Rather than striving for the perfect holiday with Norman Rockwell moments, enjoy the time you have despite irritations and inconveniences that pop up. Celebrating in a way that’s unique to your family will give you more satisfaction than worrying how things “should be”.

Take a breather

It’s easy to get caught up in the rush but take a little time for yourself. Whether it’s a few minutes of deep breathing, hitting the gym or calling a friend, a little me-time helps rejuvenate you.

Avoid mindless eating

While a day or two of indulging isn’t likely to set you back, back-to-back parties and get-togethers can lead to unwanted weight gain. Ask yourself if you really want this treat or food and if it is worth the calories. Our Bluetooth Precision Smart Scale is a great accountability partner. It not only measures your weight, it calculates your BMI as well as estimates the daily calories needed to maintain or lose weight. It also measures body fat, muscle mass, body water, and bone mass. Track your information on the scale or on your smart phone with the EatSmart Performance App.