HOME & GARDEN CONSUMER GUIDE
Top 10 Quick Tips: Enjoying The Christmas Season
1. Plan What You Will Do, Including Liberal Amounts Of Self-Care.
Planning periods for regular self-care is vital for stress reduction at this time of year. Boosters like exercise, listening to music, reading or other favourite "pick-me-ups" will help greatly. Planning domestic work, travel and other commitments also protects against fatigue-induced resentment and accidents. The tendency to bring work home to do at this time should be avoided.
2. Create A Jobs Rota.
If you are in a family or sharing situation, create a jobs rota so that no one person is unfairly burdened. When everyone contributes there is a greater energy supplied to making things successful. Working together can actually be fun and create lasting happy memories.
3. Remember It's A Season Not A Day.
Spread the goodies, activities, entertaining, visiting over several days not just one. This reduces pressure, especially when there are many people to see. Share this concept with friends and family to help with sensitive situations.
4. Give Up The Wish That The Day Is Perfect.
Accept that the day may have the occasional fault but that overall it will be enjoyable. This puts you in control not some mishap. Resolve to have a good laugh at any minor disasters, after all you probably will in the future anyway.
5. Ask, Don't Assume.
All over the world people will be doing things for people assuming its what they want. However we are not always accurate when we think that we know what others want, and unhappiness and resentment may follow. Let's ask what they want, and be prepared to receive the truth and act on it. (Don't ask a question unless you are prepared to act on the answer!)
6. Be Strong On Setting Limits On What You Will Accept.
Just because its Christmas don't let others cajole you into doing or accepting behaviour you normally would not. Plan ahead, you know where the most serious challenges will come from, and have strategies in place to deal with the challenges in a diplomatic but firm way. This is a must for those who struggle with emotional issues, diets etc. Parents let your children know that you are not available 24 hours a day.
7. Do Your Part To Encourage Responsible Driving.
If you are drinking, plan for someone else to do the driving. On long journeys, plan and stick to breaks, as a tired driver can also be lethal.
8. Resolve To Enjoy The Moment.
Anticipation is great but too much living in the future or the past is not healthy. To put life on hold for several days or weeks for the sake of one day's activities does not make sense. Enjoy each moment in the moment, this leads to greater happiness.
9. Avoid The News.
Regrettably the news often has a negative bias, and can drag our feelings down. If you have to see the news because of your work, try to reduce the time to the minimum. Spend your time doing something inspirational instead.
10. Create Traditions
Traditions are a great way to help build unity in family and community, and can be used to help spread the happiness of Christmas over a longer period. Why not ditch old ones that have become burdensome (old traditions not old people.) and discuss new possibilities with those close to you and come up with some really fun ones!
Desiree Warren is a Personal, Career & Business Coach at Redshots Limited, who can be reached at info@redshots.co.uk, or visited at website www.redshots.co.uk. Redshots Limited guides their clients through the process of gaining clarity, perspective, focus, and purpose in their personal and professional lives. In short: more fun, more money, more time, more fulfillment! To receive periodic Top Tens from Redshots, please send an email to info@redshots.com.uk with 'subscribe' in the subject.
