Five Proven Techniques For Eliminating Holiday Stress

Five Proven Techniques For Eliminating Holiday Stress

Author: G. Gaynor McTigue

Last holiday season you swore you’d never put yourself through
all that stress and craziness again. Well, here’s your chance
to make good on that promise. The following are a few of my
favorite holiday stress tips, excerpted from my new book, “400
Ways to Stop Stress Now…and Forever!”

1. Develop a gift ear.

Constantly coming up with fresh and innovative gifts for the
holidays can be an exasperating challenge. Try this. Always a
keep a sharp ear open. In the course of casual conversation,
people unwittingly reveal needs and yearnings that can trigger
incredibly on-target gift ideas. You just have to train
yourself to “hear” them. When you do, write them down
immediately since it’s likely you’ll forget. Don’t be a
perpetually stumped gift giver. Turn on your gift radar
starting today. Why make yourself crazy?

2. Start your holiday shopping early.

You’ll be able to do it in a more leisurely, composed manner.
Stores will be less crowded. Selections will be at their
fullest. Pre-holiday sales will save you money. And sales
clerks may even be pleasant. Put it off and you risk that
last-minute insanity of overcrowded stores, traffic jams and
mile-away parking; frantic searches for hot items long sold
out; agonizingly long checkout lines; and dealing with
overwhelmed, under-trained Christmas help. Who needs that, on
top of all your other stress? Even if you’re not yet in a
holiday mood…fake it. Start shopping, get it done. And
actually enjoy the holiday season. Why make yourself crazy?

3. Look for that secret cashier.

Somewhere in the store there’s a little-used cash register,
service desk or courtesy desk that will also ring up your
purchases. You just have to find it. People naturally drift
toward the busiest lines. Take a moment to seek out that
alternative checkout. You might be surprisingly rewarded. Why
make yourself crazy?

4. Let the store assemble it.

It’s tempting to think you can save a few bucks assembling that
gas barbecue, play set or bicycle yourself. (Or maybe you just
love irksome, time-consuming tasks.) Save yourself the anguish.
Let someone who can practically do it in his sleep assemble it.
Faster, better and cheaper in the long run. And you won’t
suffer the despair of learning at 1 a.m. on Christmas morning
that a key part is missing, or you put it together backwards.
Why make yourself crazy?

5. Put the holidays back into focus.

At the height of the holiday season, when your stress level is
peaking, you’re totally crazed, blowing through money,
wondering if you’re missing the point entirely…do this. Give
a gift to someone you don’t even know. Maybe it’s a child or
family you read about in the local paper, who are undergoing a
severe hardship. Maybe it’s a charity gift drive for the down
and forgotten. Make the effort to go out and shop for that
present. As you’re doing so, perhaps concerned about the time
and money you’re spending, imagine the person on the other end
opening it, who has to celebrate their Christmas in this way.
Who may not be getting any other gift but yours. Or none at
all, if you weren’t doing this. Compare that with the Christmas
you and your family will enjoy. It’s a sobering thought. Let it
influence your generosity. Let it temper your excesses. Why
make yourself crazy? Have a stress-free holiday!

About The Author: G. Gaynor McTigue is a bestselling author,
stress coach and motivational speaker whose latest book “400
Ways to Stop Stress Now…and Forever!” has just been
published. To learn more call 203-254-7789, email
jerrym321@aol.com or visit: http://www.pickmeupbooks.com

Five Proven Techniques For Eliminating Holiday Stress

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