The holiday seasons are upon us, which means that in addition to work deadlines, we have the added pressures of gift buying, parties and decorating. A few years ago, I took a random day off in early December. It was a case of “use it or lose it.”

Now I do it every year because I spent that day finishing my gift shopping without the weekend crowds. I also met a friend for lunch, which made the day more fun and more civilized. It was a great way to reduce the holiday stress.

Here are 5 more suggestions to keep stress-free during the holiday season:

1) Take a walk without a destination. You’ll get some exercise and you’ll clear your head.

2) Get enough sleep. When you’re well-rested you are able to face the day’s challenges.

3) Drink plenty of water. Dehydration can lead to grumpiness.

4) Give to someone in need. It is the season for giving so why not offer your communications skills to a nonprofit that could use some help. You could take your old cell phones and donate them to a battered women’s shelter.

5) De-clutter. M.C. Escher said, “We adore chaos because we love to produce order.” This is the perfect time of year to clean a
closet, a drawer, a shelf. You’ll feel lighter.

How will you keep the season stress-free?