7 Ways to Keep Calm During the Holiday Rush

‘Tis the season! The holidays have arrived which means it’s time for that rush of mass crowds and stressful situations. Keeping calm during this chaotic time can be quite the mental game, so we’ve created a list of seven ways to keep calm during the holiday rush to help you get through.

1. Read

Reading is one of the quickest and most effective ways to destress. Find a book you’ve been wanting to read, or even old journal entries from one of your ancestors. The mental concentration you put into reading will help you forget about daily holiday stress.

2. Clean

Keeping an organized environment around you will help you organize your thoughts. Where do you spend most of your time? Your room? The kitchen? Wherever it be, set aside time every day to make sure the area is clean.

3. Create a priority list

The holiday rush means there is a lot to do in little time. Try to prioritize everything you need to accomplish on a list—you may find that some of the errands you had in mind really aren’t necessary. Go through your list one task at a time and give that task all your attention. Thinking about everything you have to get done as a whole is overwhelming. Once you have finished a task, cross it off your list and move on.

4. Make memories

Remember, this is the time of year when you get to focus on making lasting memories with the people you love most. In ten years you won’t remember all the errands you had to run; you’ll remember the time you spent with your loved ones. Be in the moment by giving them your undivided attention for at least a few minutes every day.

5. Journal

The holiday rush means you’re constantly busy and have little time to yourself to process everything. If you go too long without processing your everyday holiday activities, it will be difficult to keep calm. During these busy times, journaling is perhaps the most effective meditative practice to help process holiday chaos.

6. Don’t expect perfection.

Although it’s important to have expectations, don’t expect for things to go perfectly. By fully expecting things to be flawed from the beginning, you won’t feel anxious when things don’t go perfectly.

7. Sleep

Allow your body to recuperate from the holiday madness. There is less natural sunlight during the winter, which can throw off your schedule. Try to get into the habit of finding a sleeping schedule so you can go on with your day-to-day activities fully energized.

We hope you make the happiest of memories this holiday season and that you use these seven tips to help you keep calm. Happy Holidays!

Click here to create or login to your JRNL account and get writing.