5 Tips to Reduce Holiday Shopping Stress

Many parts of your year will be filled with heart felt, long lasting memories.  But if your life (good or bad) is anything like mine – those long lasting memories quite often come with a matching level of stress.  The joy of a new baby comes with the stress of getting yourself and the house ready for that bundle of joy.  The pride of landing that new promotion was matched with the stress of the extra work (hours and effort) it took to get there.  The thrill and deep seated pleasure of a Merry Christmas (emotionally and commercially) is matched by the stress of planning and executing that Sunbloom Santa picture of the holiday.

The number of things that cause stress during your picturesque holiday season could include but would not be limited to:

• Finances – having enough money to get the things you desire for those you care about combined with needing to know the right amount to spend on one so as to not upset another.
• Pressure – beyond the knowing the right amount example given above.  There is finding IT once you know what IT is, then finding IT at the best price.  Finding the time to shop in our busy work lives.  Finding out what the right gift is without letting them know your trying to find out and of course the pressure bearing down on us from family, friends and the commercial machine.
• Conflict – whether inside the home, at work or in the mall it does seem that conflict can rear its ugly head in a split second and when you least expect it, even though everyone tries to have the ‘holiday spirit’ that spirit can get pushed aside by the previously mentioned finances and pressure.

These are just the three core stresses.  There is just so much you are trying to get done in a very short period of time.  I mean it seems like one minute you are handing out candy to the cutest little princesses and scariest little demons you have ever met.  The next thing you know your planning, then eating a beautiful turkey dinner either in your home or the home of someone you love (or the family of someone you love).  Hot on the heals of that sometimes dramatic dinner, now you only have four weeks to make sure you pull off a Christmas (or whichever year ending event you may celebrate) that your family will enjoy and remember all the year through.  Oh, and lets not forget the year ending party to finish it all off.  Whew, I’m feeling the pressure just writing about it.

So with all that said,  let me try and give you five ways to lessen that stress, so you can actually let yourself create and enjoy a Happy Holiday.

Try some of these simple holiday shopping tips:

1. Teamwork. Remember you do not have to do it all yourself.  Whether it is a spouse, sibling, elder child or a good friend.  Think about any tasks that you could delegate to someone else.  This can not only relieve some of your stress but could also provide a bit of bonding opportunity for you and the other person.
2. Make a List. Think about the song you hear growing up, “He’s making a list and checking it twice..”  Even the best present delivery ‘man’ on Earth makes a list BEFORE he sets out in his sleigh.  This is great advice.  Your list will help you preplan:
   • What you are going to buy
   • How much you are willing to spend
   • Where you need to go to get it. 
     Knowing these simple things will help you mentally plan the best shopping route of attack – taking a lot of the stress out of the trip(s). Don’t forgot to put incidentals like decorations and food on your list if you need it, so you can cut down on the number trips you need to make – further reducing your stress level.
3. Be an Early Elf.  A twist on the old saying “The early bird gets the worm.”  That early bird also doesn’t stress about going hungry.  Getting one item on your list done makes you feel good inside – further reducing your stress and motivating you to get the next thing done or bought.  So start feeling good early and you can rid yourself of that “Oh, my gosh I only have two more days..” kind of stress.  For those of you that are saying “But I will miss out on all the great last minute sales” I would ask you – have you really looked?  These days retailers are starting their sales earlier – so there is always a value to be found for those Early Elfs to look.
4. Surf Your Holiday. Gone are the days when you HAVE to go to a retail store to get your gifts.  The internet has opened a whole new way for you to be Santa without ever having to leave the comfort of your home.  Even if you do not order your items online, you could take your list and comparison shop.  This is a great way to help manage your money.  You could even use online maps to plan the best route from your home to all the stores you have found that have the right price for you.
5. Safety 1st. No matter what holiday you are planning and buying for – always be safe during your shopping activities.  After all, getting safely to the holiday would certainly be step one to it being a good one.  While you are out and about always keep your credit cards stowed until it is time to actually swipe them.  There are many camera toting people that would love to snap a picture of your card and use the info to make their Christmas shine and tarnish yours.  Do the same thing with your cash, keep it tucked away and only bring out what you need when you need it.  Flashing cash may make you feel good but it could attract the wrong kind of attention.  When shopping online try and stick with trusted e-tailers.  If you need to purchase from a site you are unsure of – do a little research before inputting your information.  A few minutes of safe thought could save you months of stress.

So, remember your teamwork, make a list, be an early elf, try surfing some or all of your holiday and always, always remember safety first.   Keep these tips in mind and I can say with a Merry heart that you will be able to cut much of your stress out of the holiday.  As for decorating the tree and the house.. well that is another article in itself. 

Have a VERY Happy Holiday – whatever Holiday you observe!

Think Successfully & Take Action!
Tracy
One of today’s Top Motivated Coaches &
Author of Success Atlas Programs

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