Holidays - Relaxing Holidays - Five Ways To Make Your Next Holiday Stress Free

Relaxing Holidays - Five Ways To Make Your Next Holiday Stress Free

For many people the end of a year is a time of increased stress. Instead of relaxing and unwinding from a busy year, the pressures of buying gifts, travelling or spending time with long lost relatives makes it a difficult time.

In our household for example, my 4 year-old daughter's excitement levels have been taken to new highs by performing in front of 800 people as a 'teddy bear' in her first ever ballet concert.

Loaded on top of this was her Kindergarten show, this time performing the role of an 'angel' in a Nativity Play, and counting down the days to our four-week trip to Tasmania.

Just yesterday, she woke at 5.15 am and started packing her bags to go. I smiled when she told me she had packed 8 videos for the trip!

Now I'm really looking forward to our holiday and spending time at Freycinet Lodge on the Island's east-coast, feeling the crunch of pristine white sand under my feet at Wineglass Bay, watching the sun set over the pink granite outcrops of 'The Hazards' and tasting the fresh salty tang of locally grown pacific oysters.

But it won't be easy getting ready, packing and then travelling for 12 hours with full luggage and 2 children under 5 years old.

Add to this the fact we're staying with relatives. So what is the solution?

Here are my Top 5 Ways to make End of Year Holidays a relaxing and stressfree time.

1. CLARIFY AND SHARE EXPECTATIONS.

Be aware of the extra pressure on families at this time of the year. Clarify with family members what each individual wants from the break. For me, it may be reading all those business books I didn't get time for during the year. I know for my wife, it is getting extra help looking after the children and spending time together as a family. How can both these needs be met? Use these three questions to clarify the needs and wants of others at this busy time. What do you want? What do you dread? What will put a smile on your face?

2. PLAN, MONITOR AND BE REALISTIC ABOUT YOUR BUDGET.

Money issues can be a big source of conflict at the end of the year. It is meant to be a time for gift giving and sharing but it can get out of hand. Set a budget for gifts, entertainment and food. Stick to the budget and monitor it regularly so you don't overspend.

3. DELEGATE RESPONSIBILITY AND SHARE TASKS.

You can't do everything all of the time. Many people strive for perfection at the end of the year because of the many positive and festive images portrayed by the media. Be realistic and work out what you can and can't achieve. Ask for and get help. Be prepared to give up some control to share the load.

4. COMMUNICATE YOUR FEELINGS.

The end of the year, and in Western cultures Christmas, is an emotional time. Share your feelings of joy with others. If you're feeling stressed, let others know how you feel and ask for support.

5. KEEP UP YOUR REGULAR ROUTINE.

Keep doing the things you have enjoyed doing during the year, like exercise and eating well. Take time out for yourself and your family.

Thomas Murrell MBA CSP is an international business speaker, consultant and award-winning broadcaster. Media Motivators is his regular electronic magazine read by 7,000 professionals in 15 different countries.You can subscribe by visiting http://www.8mmedia.com Thomas can be contacted directly at +6189388 6888 and is available to speak to your conference, seminar or event. Visit Tom's blog at http://www.8mmedia.blogspot.com

Sonya Rykiel Perfume Shop online for Sonya Rykiel Perfume at low internet prices and fast delivery from perfume | healthboutiques.eu

Dental Insurance | Health Insurance | Home Owner Insurance | Life Insurance Quote

| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 |

Advantages Of Online Greeting Cards Over Paper Cards - Part Ii
So, let's review a little what we said in the first part of this. Greeting cards are a very popular item which people buy in high numbers. But the problem is that the making process of them is using a lot of energy and it's polluting the nature.I will try to show you the best healthy way for you to send your thoughts to your loved ones.The best solution of all are new invented and popul...(related: Holidays)

Advantages Of Online Greeting Cards Over Paper Cards - Part I
After some recent reports it seems that 90% of all people buy many greeting cards. Only the American people buy 7 billion greeting cards every year. in the UK the rate is about 2 billions in one year. So, if the cards purchased only by this two count ryes were aligned end-to-end they would stretch around the...(related: Holidays)

Celebrate The 4th And Help A Soldier
My good friend, Rae, just called and suggested having a Fourth of July cookout that supports our troops in Iraq. "How?" I asked, feeling somewhat guilty that we can drink margaritas and play lawn games with our families on Independence Day, while our troops in Iraq are risking life and limb. Always upbeat, Rae chirped, "By having everyone bring a gift that we'll collect and send to the troops. You know useful things like CDs, books, underwear?"Underwear? Well, they were called "unmentionabl...(related: Holidays)

Keeping Christmas Spirit Alive: Christmas Just Isn?t The Same Without Santa Claus!
Holidays may come and go but some holidays, like Christmas, should never change. Most folks have a favorite holiday and for many it is Christmas. The festivities, shopping, and decorating get the best of all of us but Christmas just wouldn't be the same without Santa...(related: Holidays)

Rubber Stamping And Scrapbooking Will Bring The Family Together During The Holidays
No matter what celebration you and your family will rejoice in this holiday season, the common thread is family unity and the joy of sharing in the relationships with others.Remembering the past is always an important part when bringing the family together. It is important to reflect on the fun times we have as a family, and those not with us anymore.Technology lets us organize out memories better than ever before. With computers, digital photography and video, there are simple ways to get the k...(related: Holidays)

How To Reduce Your Stress This Christmas
In theory Christmas is a time that is filled with joy and celebration. A joyous holiday when you get together with loved ones and catch up, exchange gifts and generally have a good time.Unfortunately in practice it can be a time of great stress and unhappiness. There is so much to do and so much to organise. And sometimes getting together with your extended family can be uncomfortable and even painful.So here is a plan that will help you to relax a little more this Christmas and hopefully a good time will be had by all.Christmas ShoppingDon't leave everything until the last moment. Rushing will just make you tired and more stressed. Get you Christmas shopping done early, so you don't have to spend hours fighting other shoppers for the last doll or Christmas turkey.Don't over spend. ...(related: Holidays)

Santa Goes Low Carb!
North Pole- The word is out! Due to an "unpublished dilemma" last Christmas Eve Santa has gone Low Carb!Sources reveal that Santa was stuck in a chimney somewhere in California for over an hour last Christmas Eve - how embarrassing! The incident certainly wreaked havoc with his jolly schedule for the most important night of the year. In the aftermath, it caused Santa to really stop and think.After careful consideration - Santa and Mrs. Claus decided they could not risk a repeat of the incident, but more importantly the risk factors associated with Santa's health - oh my! Right after the holidays, Santa visited his primary care phys...(related: Holidays)

The History And Origin Of Valentines Day
The oldest Valentine card still in existence was sent in 1415 by Charles Duke of Orleans, at the time a prisoner in the Tower of London, to his ...(related: Holidays)

Valentine Gifts From The Heart
One of my fondest childhood memories is of my mother helping me make a Valentine's box to take to school. We pulled out white paste, an old shoebox, scraps of doilies, and construction paper. There was a flurry of activity as I cut and pasted, and imagined my box filled with homemade Valentines from classmates and secret admirers.My favorite teacher in the fourth grade was Mrs. Dearing. For Valentine's Day, I wanted to make her something special. My mother had a recipe for sugar cookies that she had made as a child. We stayed up late rolling out the dough, long after my brothers had gone to bed. Carefully, we sprinkled the cookies with sugar and waited for the spa...(related: Holidays)