5 Ways to Make the Holidays Less Stressful

Are you easily burnt out by the holidays? Follow my tips to reduce your stress!
How To Make The Holidays Less Stressful (Tips That Worked For Me)! 5 Tips to reduce the stress of Christmas for Self-Care. #selfcare #wellness #holidays #holidaystress #entertainingtips #holidaytips #christmas

I feel like it’s expected to say that the holiday season is stressful… we all know it, we all acknowledge it, but what do we do about it?? After sharing more of my personal story with this Instagram post, I realized it was time to open up the conversation into a larger discussion — and to share ways to make the holidays less stressful. I’m talking about things that work for me and tips that are actually attainable.

How To Make The Holidays Less Stressful (Tips That Worked For Me)

Truly give up on being a perfectionist

This is at the top of the list for me because I am truly a Type A perfectionist. I love when everything is tidy, decorated, and perfect… but that SO rarely happens. As I write this, our Christmas tree is leaning slightly to the side… and I’m going to leave it like this. Honestly, the only thing that’s helped me to give up my desire for holiday perfection is the fact that I’m just too darn busy.

Self-talk is something that’s helped me a lot with this. If you struggle with the same thing, I suggest writing a mantra for yourself that you can mentally repeat when you feel like things aren’t perfect enough. For me, I tell myself that it’s ok and that whatever is ‘wrong’ won’t ruin the day. Then I go through a short list of what I’m grateful for as a way of adjusting my perspective.

On a related topic, you might enjoy these posts:

Let yourself take shortcuts

While I always tout the importance of shopping locally, there are times when you just need to order something online from a big box retailer and get on with it! We all have a million things on our to do lists… why not make the holidays less stressful by ordering a few gifts online? This holiday season, cut yourself some slack and give yourself the grace to take a shortcut.

Schedule in alone time

My personal space is hugely important to me. This is one boundary that I’ve learned not to mess with because I know just how unpleasant I can be when I don’t get my quiet time. Even if that means ‘missing out’ on drinks with friends or a party, I’m ok with that. It means that I’ll be able to actually enjoy other things, while recharging my batteries.

I suggest scheduling in the time for yourself, even if that means putting it on your calendar. Then hold true to your goal. That’s the hardest part, but if you can keep the commitment, you’re golden!

Wrap presents as you go

This is a really specific tip, but it’s one that has worked for me. Our house is so tiny, there’s never room to actually hide anything. I used to hide things in my car, but then I get paranoid that my car could get broken into! For the past 2 years, I’ve wrapped gifts as soon as I get them in order to alleviate the stress of hiding them. It also helps you avoid rushing to do it all on Christmas Eve!

Encourage people to come to you

I always prefer my home to everyone else’s. When people reach out, wanting to hang, I suggest them coming over for drinks and/or dinner. I do this because I know, as an introvert, my strong suit is entertaining smaller groups. It’s also way more affordable than going out to a trendy bar — especially because we’re saving up for a mountain home. If you’re anything like me, I highly recommend trying to get people to come to you… it definitely helps me feel more in control during the holidays.

Those are 5 things that have helped me make the holidays less stressful… what tips do you have to add to the list? Leave a comment and let me know!

Behind The Blog

Joanna Hawley-McBride is a Pacific Northwest-based social media strategist, content creator, and former textile designer. Joanna is the founder and editor-in-chief of Jojotastic, a lifestyle blog focused on Joanna’s work-in-progress cabin, finding the best pair of underwear through #UnderwearThesis, and empowering women to explore nature — all in her signature unfiltered style. Her work has been featured in Domino, CNBC, and Eating Well.

Let's stay in touch:

Shop my picks on Amazon

Shop now

Please note that I use affiliate links at times here, as well as on my social media accounts. This means that if you click on a link to a product and purchase that product, I may receive a commission based on your purchase. I only feature products that truly inspire me. Any products that have been gifted to Jojotastic for review are noted at the bottom of the post. Sponsored posts are noted as such. All opinions are my own and always will be! Thanks for supporting content that keeps Jojotastic going.

Leave a Comment