Dealing with disruption – tips to ease the stress this festive season

A house full of trimmings, more social engagements than you’ve managed to pack in all year and an abundance of changes to your usual routines and patterns all serve to make Christmas a busy, chaotic time. Yes, it’s only once a year, and yes it’s only for four weeks or so but for some people dealing with these disruptions to normality – on top of our jobs and home life - can be extremely stressful which takes the shine off the festivities.

According to this article "there is something about Christmas that sends even balanced people, the types who do meditation or mindfulness classes, slightly out of whack.”

It suggests dealing with Christmas in a more modest way to ease some of the stress and often unrealistic expectations that we place upon ourselves and our families to be ‘perfect’.

So what can we do to make sure that Christmas is a cheery season, rather than a time when our stress levels soar?

Have a calendar of events

Even if you're not a write it down kind of person, we can all benefit from a Christmas schedule. Use the calendar to make a note of all your planned events, activities and chores that need to be done before ‘the big day’ – include all of your work and social events on the same calendar to give you a full picture. Once it’s written down, it becomes more manageable, – you should be able to visualise what needs to be done and when. Rather than take the spontaneity out of Christmas, you can manage your commitments and prevent yourself from agreeing to things you can't manage.

Don’t be afraid to schedule time into your calendar for family stuff too and be mindful of your ‘pressure points’ like bedtimes and mealtimes, as well as some downtime at home to recharge your batteries. If you have children, this downtime is especially important as they often need time to recover from over-stimulation and too many additives!

Have a timetable – and stick to it!

We know that the spontaneity of Christmas can be overwhelming for those of us who thrive with routines – especially children. Yes, writing all your festive activities on a timetable may seem over the top, but creating a structure at a time when everything around us is chaotic can make things less stressful. By providing a comfortable pace with intentional structure you can feel in control of the festive season, which will make it more enjoyable for you and your family – making sure that you continue to deliver at work and at home.

Some tips for maintaining a timetable during the holidays include sticking to regular mealtimes as much as you can and being clear about arrival and departure times when attending parties and other social occasions. Share your timetable with colleagues, friends and family, so that they are aware of your commitments – this will help to manage expectations if you need to leave an event early.

Have a plan

Over the Christmas period, more than any other time of the year, an action plan is your friend! Do whatever you can to prepare for events ahead of time – pick out your outfits, prepare party food, select and wrap gifts – all of this helps to keep you on top of things and enjoy the season’s festivities. If your Christmas period involves a lot of travel, make sure that you have enough to keep you and any travel companions occupied in case of traffic jams and ensure that your car is in good repair and ready to embark on the additional mileage.

Be sure that you have stocked up on enough essentials to see you through the holidays – yes, the shops may only be closed for a day or so, but shopping in itself can be quite a challenge during December. Order as much as you can in advance, so that any shopping you do is a pleasure rather than a necessity. It’s always worth making sure you have enough toilet paper, kitchen roll, batteries, light bulbs and dishwasher tablets to see you through the holidays.


Rather than take the excitement and spontaneity out of Christmas, we hope that by getting organised we can help you get the most out of the festive season. Making practical plans can help alleviate holiday stress and, more importantly, keep your main focus on enjoying the time spent with family and friends.