Monday, December 1, 2008

Tis The Season for.....

Busting the big old ball of holiday stress!


It’s December ( which I cannot believe is already here!) and all I can think about is how much I have to do for both life and work.

I can feel the stress ball forming in my shoulder and traveling up towards my neck and I know it’s time for me to breath deep, take a step back, and just do one thing at a time until everything is checked of my never ending list.

I had a great Thanksgiving weekend and I’m paying for it now. I keep telling myself I should have done some work this weekend, but it felt so good to just be with friends who I hadn’t seen in ages, catch-up, and relax.

All of us are embarking on the yearly December swirl of holiday madness/end of year crunch and I for one need to figure out how to keep my stress level down so my blood sugar won’t go up.


So I decided that in order to survive the holidays and deal with the “Stress Outs” that always seem to follow the holiday season, I need to have a game plan - and here's what I've come up with so far.

I’m making an effort to help others. I’m donating to a local Food Bank and am looking into a few other charities that I could volunteer for.


I’m making myself set aside one hour every single day, 7 days a week for paperwork. I get buried in my Sales paperwork and I always put it off until I absolutely have to do it. NO MORE - I’m doing what I fear first everyday – and that involves the big ass pile of files on my desk.


I gave myself an early Christmas gift and have scheduled a full body massage during the holiday craziness. I wanted to book one immediately, but couldn't get an appointment with the therapist I wanted until December 11th. YES, it totally stressed me out at first that I had to wait so long, but then I remembered how quickly December flies by and I now I’m completely OK with the 11th.

I’m joining a new gym and plan on taking the palliates classes they offer because I figured why not work on getting a tight ass and abs while stress busting at the same time.

I’m going to make a real effort to turn off my computer after 9 pm, though it might actually stress me more to not be “plugged in.” I’ll take this particular step day by day.

I'm not dealing or participating in any family drama - AT ALL.

I’m making sure that I laugh everyday, no matter what. And if I can’t find anything to laugh at, I always have my “ELF,” Caddy Shack,” & “Waiting for Guffman” DVD’s to make me bust a gut.

So, here's my question to you: What are you doing to distress for the season – besides of course, hitting the big old Box of Wine in the fridge?

7 comments:

Araby62 (a.k.a. Kathy) said...

I actually got my family to agree to the 'no gifts Christmas' this year in honor of the recession (ha!). We're supposed to get things only for the lone kid among us. Let's see if everyone sticks with the plan...

Other than that I am participating in my annual Santa letter program, and trying to focus on the positives. It's tough (along w/the season's festivities I have to move, fly waaay out of town for Xmas to visit family, complete some major work projects, yadda yadda yadda...!), but I'm gonna try.

Maybe I'll get myself a massage as a b-day gift in January. Thanks for the idea!

meanderings said...

I HATE that huge pile on my desk. Last week I attacked it and gee, found stuff I'd been looking for, for weeks. So now, I attack the pile each morning. So far, so good. Keep trying, I'm sure you'll find a way to stay calm and enjoy.

Cara said...

I bought myself Bones: Season Two on DVD. :)
Watching David Boreanaz always makes me de-stress. :)

Lora said...

I told my husband he was responsible for arranging the trip to see his parents and for buying them their Christmas presents this year. After all, he's known them a lot longer than I have... Stress: reduced.

k2 said...

Kathy -
A no gifts policy - if only!
I don't buy for my siblings,only my nieces and nephews - all 12 of them!

Your moving! YOU CAN DO IT! Make detailed labels for the boxes - that really helps - AND BOOK A MASSAGE !

Colleen -
In life - paperwork buries me! Good for you for tackling it! I'm staring at the pile right now and am about to divide & conquer!

Cara -
I love Bones! I sayw David Boreanaz in a bar in Philly once - he grew up here and his dad is our Weather man!

Lora-
Way to delegate and de-stress - I'm impressed!
k2

Anonymous said...

I hear you about the stress. This time of year brings it on without holding back. I also notice that stress can be devastating to my blood sugar levels. Good idea with the full massage - I'd love to get one a month.

My release is to read a little each night. It takes my mind of everything when I get absorbed in a book - even it it's just one chapter.

Penny Ratzlaff said...

My stress level is less this year for a couple of reasons. One: I'm a school nurse now. I'll have a full week off of work before Christmas gets here and a week after it's over. That helps a lot because this is such a busy time of the year.
Secondly: My extended family has decided this year to only give gifts to the kids. That helps a lot with expenses. I used to have to buy 22 gifts every year. This year, 4. That is a huge help not only financially, but I don't have the stress of trying to figure out what to buy everyone.
I hope you find a way to de-stress.

(hee, hee, I just have to note that my word verification is "winer". I'm trying not to take it personally.)