Prep-up the stress: Celebrate spirit of the season and the enjoyment of the festivities

It's that time of year with festivals galore and holidays following one after another. Beautiful decorations of bright lights and never-ending line of guests, uncountable gift exchanges and intense planning to make sure everyone's happy and together.

For most of us the holiday season can stress us out, and in the end, it can hold us back from celebrating the spirit of the season and the enjoyment of the festivities. With all the delicious meals that are being prepared for the occasions, we end up spending a lot of time in the kitchen too. It tends to get really hot especially if we can't use the kitchen fan without disrupting those gas flames, thereby, making it very a very uncomfortable situation. Staying away from sweets and savouries, having back-to-back parties, festive gatherings and the endless conversations with family and friends - holidays can surely be one tiring period!

Here are a couple of tips to keep your guilt & stress at the bay during this festive season.

Plan it out – A month before the festival, sit down with your family and discuss everything from expenses, food arrangements, guest list to decorations. Every logistical decision you make counts. After you're done with that, create a back-up plan in case things go wrong. You don't want to be overworked and overscheduled; instead, use scheduling to give yourself a handle on the things you need to accomplish.

Do less, not more – Most of us get worked up during the holiday season. We tend to get overwhelmed when we have too much work to get done, and many of us go overboard to please others during the holidays. Instead of trying to make everyone happy, learn to do less and take care of yourself more.

Cleaning - Cleaning before the holidays can be a huge task. Preparing a home for a family gathering can be time-consuming and nerve-wracking, especially considering all of the other pressures of the season. Divide the work equally among all members. Start with easier rooms like the living room or study and then move on to bigger closets and kitchens.

Meal Prep – Start prepping for that yearly Christmas party, weeks in prior. Make sure you have a list of all the groceries that need to be bought. Indian meals take quite a long time to cook and hence, proper planning will help to save time and efforts. Other than that, ensure you don't leave everything to the last minute. Give yourself enough time to prep your meal rather than spending the entire day cooking it.

Don't forget to have fun – The best part about the festivals is spending time with your loved ones. As you take part in all the holiday festivities, relax and unwind. Don't worry about everything being prim and proper, things will fall in to place. All you have to do is take a deep breath and savor the moment. Permit yourself to forget about all those tasks that are still left on your to-do list.

Positive mind - The long list of people you have to please during festivals is countless. So it's completely alright to make mistakes unless you consider yourself a perfectionist. Even then, it's alright to fail. Don't focus on the things that are making you tense and unhappy. Negative thinking can trigger your body's stress response. Try to think only positive thoughts. An optimistic outlook may even help you cope with any challenges that might come your way.

- Uma Lanka, Crompton Greaves Consumer Electricals Ltd