Depending on what kind of business you’re in, you may be finding the weeks leading up to Christmas to be a little full.

That leads to… you guessed it… stress.

The big problem with that is that stress saps our energy.

So just when we need it more, we have less.

There’s a reason that being stressed doesn’t feel good.

It’s like being on a slow poison drip to our systems.

Stress kills.

Did you know that a large part of the reason that seniors have a mortality rate from things that are not fatal to younger people is because their bodies have lost the ability to recover from stress. Deepak Chopra talks about it in his book ‘Ageless Body Timeless Mind’, a very good read by the way for anyone who is getting older.

The more stress you have, the faster your body will find itself unable to recover.

Every major stress period wears you down a little more.

WHAT TO DO WHEN CHRISTMAS IS CAUSING YOU STRESS.

As much as Christmas is the ‘merry season’, there is no denying that it is busier… there’s more to do with less time to do it.

Just thinking about it makes my heart rate go up.

There are a few things that I’ve found help me to create a smoother season, and to even enjoy all the peace and good will amongst the coming and going.

1 – Prepare, prepare, prepare. You knew I was going to say that, didn’t you :0) If you are just starting it might take you by surprise, but if you’ve been in your business for a few years, you know when to expect your busy times to hit. Be ready well in advance, and always be looking at ways to improve your systems – in the busy times and not.

2 – Get help. You knew I was going to say that too I bet. If you can’t hire someone as an employee or even freelance, you may be surprised to find cheap help at home. Your kids! It may take awhile to train them, have patience and start early in the season. Pay them well. You could be amazed at how motivated they are. Especially since they will be wanting to earn some Christmas money too.

3 – THE BIG ONE. Don’t shirk on your base systems. The ones that keep you going. The ones that cause you the most stress if they fall by the wayside sooner or later. At times like these it seems like an impossibility, but let your systems go and you will know the meaning of STRESS! You may not be able to maintain them every day, but make it your goal and you will be able to stay somewhat steady. It will make all the difference.

4 – Step it up. I don’t mean to increase production. I mean to create a revolving schedule so that you can keep all the balls in the air. Take your important base routines and do one or two every other day for now if you are finding it hard to maintain them daily. What ever it takes to keep you afloat until you can catch up. It’s better to make the effort now than to drown later. If you’re having a problem getting motivated, just picture the pain and misery later. That usually helps.

5 – Examine your systems. The best time to do this is before hand, but you can do it on the fly as well. Never say never! Batch processing is always a time saver. Working at your most productive time when there is no one else around is another. This could mean getting up earlier, cutting out tv time and going to bed earlier for awhile. It can take some adjusting but you can do it. If you have a supportive spouse willing to help out at night, this is were he or she can really be a life saver. If not, consider hiring someone to help out for a few hours with your children’s morning or bedtime routine if you need to. If you can get someone to help out with the household chores too, all the better.

6 – Organize and Declutter. This can make life so much easier and something you would do well to do ahead of time. Anytime is a good time to declutter and organize but when things get busy you will wish you had. Nothing worse than looking for things when you can hear the clock ticking. Take a day or two and spend it getting things in order, it will pay off throughout the season. If you are unable to do anything else right now, be sure to spend a few minutes at the end of every day putting things away. Starting fresh is the best way to start the day.

7 – Maintain a good attitude. Sometimes you will get tired. Sometimes you will feel like everyone is on your last nerve. Sometimes you will wonder at how everything can conspire against you. It always seems to happen when time is sparse. But remember. It’s a good thing to be busy. You are blessed to have the business and it means that you have been doing something right. If you stay positive and continue on this way, you may be getting a chance to create some lifelong customers. Smile. It’s show time :0)

8 – Stay hydrated, well rested, well fed and exercised. It is soooooo tempting to let this stuff go when things start piling up, but it is the worst thing to do. These things are the fuel that keep you going, that keep you fresh and strong to be able to work through the season, and to even enjoy it. Coffee doesn’t cut it. Keep at water bottle by your desk and take a walk or exercise break once a day. You will be amazed at how much better you feel.

9 – Create a schedule. You may already have one. If not, this is not the ideal time to start one, but you will feel the benefits right away. Start before the busy season if possible. A lot of our stress comes from the feeling of lack of control. A schedule and the steady resolve to stick to it gives benefits far beyond the physical. The mental benefits will surprise you. Even if it’s as small as keeping your desk clean at quitting time and working on one top priority daily.

10 – Get away. Once in awhile, even if it means letting something slide, just shut down and get away. It’s the best way to rid your mind of all the things floating in it, and you may be surprised to find that you’ve come up with a few solutions to things that were vexing you. At the very least, you will feel renewed and ready to jump back with vigour. And that’s the best way to be – stress free.