Do you have peace of mind that the holiday season is already upon us? Yes, I recognize that Thanksgiving is next week. But the holiday craziness creeps up earlier and earlier each year.
I knew that I was in trouble when I saw Santa and some of his animatronic reindeer at Lowe’s Home Improvement just before Halloween. Yesterday, I turned on the radio to find that two local stations started playing Christmas music already (I can only hear so much of Mariah Carey’s “All I Want for Christmas is You”, with or without any lawsuits.)
And if you are like me, it brings to mind all that I have to do and the goals I need to achieve, both personally and professionally. Naturally, that causes some undue stress in my life. Peace of mind…what’s that? But this year is going to be different for me (and you). Here are three ways to reduce the holiday stress starting this year and beyond.
Mindfulness Matters
According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), recent studies have shown that expressing daily gratitude leads to overall positivity. Not only are you training yourself to have a positive outlook, but you are also more likely to exercise and sleep better.
Not everyone is as fortunate to wake up inside a warm house with a hot cup of coffee or tea each morning. We often take such little things for granted! Some daily ways to be mindful and express gratitude can be done through:
- Prayer
- Journaling
- Meditation
Start practicing gratitude now, so that by January 2024, you have begun a healthy habit towards a more positive life.
Recognize Others & Celebrate Success
We take the little things in life for granted, and we often take for granted the people that mean the most to us. Whether it’s important people in either a personal or professional capacity, take a moment to recognize their value and contributions.
Host an annual holiday party that celebrates the goals you and your team have reached over the past year. If you can make it happen, provide a year-end monetary bonus as well.
In fact, it makes sense to consider celebrating success throughout the year. Does your team meet every Monday to discuss upcoming projects for the week ahead? Most likely, you do! And this is an excellent opportunity to recognize “weekly wins” over the past seven days. Popular job board Indeed.com states that regular team recognition fosters a positive work culture, improves team cohesiveness, and increases productivity. Your team will have peace of mind that they do their job well and recognized for it.
Offer Mental Health Days
I don’t know about you, but the holidays sneak up on me every year. While my team and I are wrapping up projects, I also focus on holiday gatherings, decorations, and gift buying. And my team members are most likely doing the same!
By offering regular mental health days, you give yourself and your team a stress-free way to break away from work to focus on themselves or their loved ones. They can use these days during the holidays to catch up on their to-do list, or sit on the couch for a few hours with their favorite Netflix show. Having peace of mind that they can rest without worrying about work is such a stress reliever!
According to benefits provider Zenefits, offering mental health days goes way beyond fulfilling immediate needs you and your team have. In the long run, studies have shown that mental health days “boost productivity”, “increases morale”, and “improves retention”.
Conclusion: Peace of Mind is an Amazing Gift
We often focus on rest and relaxation during the holiday season, but these three tips can be practiced all year long. What tips can you share in order to recharge and rejuvenate this holiday season? Let me know in the comment section below!
As you reflect on the past year and plan for 2024, take a moment to find out how an operations expert can move your business further ahead in the new year. Schedule a no-obligation video chat with me to learn about our services.