Time Saving Tips to Help Women Survive the Holidays

Every year it seems the Christmas season is starting earlier than the previous year. Women usually feel obligated to do so much during the holidays and end up feeling overwhelmed. After all, it's our nature to usually take care of everything and everyone anyway. Sometimes even if we don't put that burden on ourselves emotionally, someone will gladly do it for us! The holidays are no different in that regard. Women do the majority of the holiday decorating, the Christmas shopping, wrapping the presents, baking the holiday cookies and still take care of the family along with all of the day to day chores. Unfortunately, women don't always have time to really enjoy the holidays, we survive them and that's not fair. Women rarely take time for themselves enough as it is, the holidays can really leave us frazzled. Maybe this is the perfect time of year to make a few changes and give ourselves permission to admit we don't want to do it all! It's not that we can't do it all, but we shouldn't do it all.

Learn to say no: It sounds simple enough, but all too often women forget that it's really okay to say no to people, and then stick to it. The holidays make this even more difficult, 'tis the season to be a superwoman! Most women have a built-in mechanism that automatically put everyone else's feeling and needs first, our own last. Women can say no gracefully without hurting anyone's feelings. As much as we wish there was time enough to accept every invitation and have time to get together with every friend and relative for the holidays, for some women that would mean the holiday season would need to be extended at least by another couple of months.

Prioritize: The holidays are the perfect time for women to decide which of their most important things need to get accomplished, then decide which things you want to get accomplished. It will probably be a pleasant surprise to see just how much shorter the list just got. For example, every year I think I have to bake a gazillion batches of each type of candy, cookie and cookie bar recipe so I will have enough to give everyone plenty of each kind of goody. I think I must give this neighbor a plate full and that neighbor and this person, etc. I do it because I like to share and if there is extra time, I'll still do it. It's not a necessity though, I've just always wanted to. Now I did need to bring a certain quantity of cookies for the school's classroom party. Everyone had to bring something for this, so this is a need. I need to wrap that present, but I want it to look perfect and have a beautiful homemade bow on it, even if it took enough time that I could have wrapped another gift! Whatever each case may be, there are probably several things that each of us can eliminate and the holidays won't be ruined if we do.

Simplify holiday meals: Women that entertain during the holidays, whether it's a meal or just appetizers can get help in the kitchen. Every food and drink doesn't have to be made from scratch. Nobody has to know you took shortcuts, it can be your secret. Buy prepared foods and add ingredients at home to help them taste homemade. Use cookie and cake mixes instead of making them from scratch. Buy frozen mashed potatoes and add cream cheese, sour cream, or butter for example. Appetizers can be purchased frozen as well. I ate delicious sausage balls the other day and would never know they were frozen if not for the friend divulging her secret. Purchase the entire Christmas dinner already prepared if that will mean less stress and more enjoyment for your holidays. Whatever it takes to save time and a few frazzled nerves for women will be well worth it and well deserved.