Maybe
you’re wondering, “What is holiday burnout?” It’s something that happens to just
about everyone this time of year and it is avoidable if you know how. Holiday
burnout is when you are so busy preparing for the fun that you’re too tired to
enjoy it when the time finally arrives!
I think that everyone has experienced this at least once in their lifetime and
for many of us it happens each and every year. There’s just so much to do and
so little time to do it in. Preparing for the holidays takes a lot of work. Decorating
the tree, shopping for friends and family, preparing food, wrapping gifts, and
all the while we still have our hectic work lives to contend with. For many of
us it can all become a bit overwhelming and instead of enjoying the season we
end up completely worn out and can’t wait for it all to end.
The
first trick to avoiding holiday burnout is to get organized. The “pressure”
that we feel to get everything done exists because we aren’t sure if we have
enough time. This can be defeated by preparing everything in advance and
beginning our holiday chores as early as possible. Last minute shopping and
food preparation
will only add to your exhaustion.
I
can remember that my Mom actually spread her gift buying duties throughout the
entire year. Long before the special day arrived she had just about all of her
shopping completed and even had most of the gifts wrapped and hidden away!
Aside from a few “last minute” purchases she had plenty of time to do other
important things when the season arrived. She also saved a lot of money buying
things on sale during the year instead of fighting the mad holiday rush and
high prices that come with it.
You
can also relieve much of the pressure by preparing as much food as possible in
advance. Naturally some things need to made fresh but if you think about it
there are plenty of holiday foods that can be prepared and frozen in advance
and if you are a cookie fanatic (like me!) you can make them ahead of time and
they will last for months if stored in air tight containers. There’s nothing
wrong with buying some treats to enjoy as well. You don’t need to make every
food yourself and there are plenty of great deserts that you can buy to save time
instead of slaving away in the kitchen for days!
It’s
also important to remember that you don’t need to attend every holiday party
that comes your way. Choose only the ones that are most important to you and
more importantly that you are sure to enjoy! Don’t over commit yourself. This
is a season of friends, family and loved ones. Take the time to enjoy the
simple pleasures this year. Watch your favorite holiday movies or cartons,
check out all of the beautifully decorated homes in your neighborhood and be
sure to sit and enjoy the company of those whom mean the most to you.
We work
hard all year long, now is the time to relax and be thankful for all that we
have.
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