Posted by Al Bell December 26, 2018
With the Christmas Holiday season in full effect and the year coming to an end you might be encountering a bit of pressure from all ends.
Planning for the family get together, figuring out what gifts to get, in addition to maintaining health goals can be among the main contributors of a stressful environment. That is why proper preparation can help to minimize if not curtail the onslaught of any potential stressful situation.
Below I have put together a list of tips to put in your pocket if one encounters such pressures. These are not the end all, drop dead fixes but certainly tools to help manage if one is ever to face the holiday pressures. I have found them to be quite beneficial.
Tips to help manage the end of year Holiday Season
- Early planning-This is key! When preparing for any event one should definitely begin planning early. If planning a party, contacting all parties involved early is better than later. Remember, they may have plans as well for another event you might not even be aware of. Getting your name in early can assure you won’t be left out.
- Contact all parties early-This kinda goes along with the first tip. Contacting those who will help you host the event is important but notifying those who will be attending is just as important. Just think that if it is an event to be held during a popular time of the year, one will have to compete against those other events. Giving a heads up to others early can help make event well attended.
- Start a Holiday savings account-This can be a great help when that time of the year comes. Spending from a dedicated spending account helps to relieve the pressure of using funds allotted for other priorities. Most banks and credit unions can set you up with deposits as low as $5 to get started.
- Set up parameters for who gets what-This can be a difficult one but manageable. Establishing who gets what can help from overspending. Knowing who gets cards and physical gifts will help to keep overspending in check and a bit of peace of mind.
- Respect all-Although this season is quite festive for many, it can also be a time of painful memories for others. During this time someone may have lost a dear relative, friend, or pet and the time can bring those difficult memories to light. Remember to have fun but be cognizant of your surroundings and sensitive to others feelings.
- Give yourself room-Staying disciplined to the health and wellness plan can be a challenge during this time of year especially since a major part of socializing with friends and family involves bowing down to the plethora of meals. Again, as with anything, if a plan is prepared then the occasional over-indulging is not a problem. Especially if the over-indulging is planned and monitored. Many fail here because there is no plan in place to allow for the occasional overeating. Many health/fitness professionals will admit to eating the additional carb or two but at the same time prepare a workout to address the extra calorie intact.
- Create a Debt Clearance Plan: You might be worried about your financial situation going into a new year. What you can do to calm your nerves is to create a payment plan to clear your outstanding debts and become financially independent. If you’re having trouble with debt repayment, the IRS Offer in Compromise can help struggling taxpayers to settle taxes for less. You will be required to fully disclose your assets, liabilities, and income when you apply. It usually takes about six months for taxing authorities to respond to you.
You can probably guess that the underlining theme with these tips is always having a plan. As the age-old adage states “If you fail to plan, you plan to fail”. Which simply means that if one does not have a plan in anything then failure is sure to come.
So, take the time to invest in a “time” to plan. Some years ago, I was blessed to attend a course on planning. The system stressed the importance of making time to plan which is a component of your overall plan. When done correctly you will actually make better use of the days’ time.
Hope this helps with not only Christmas and New Years’ planning but in every aspect of your life. Yours truly has been.
Stay tuned for the next post on 3 Adaptable ways to be Productive!
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