A 30-Second Trick to Remind Yourself to Stay Present During the Holidays

In a perfect world, the stockings get hung from the chimney with care. Reality check: We’re lucky if we remember where we put the stockings, let alone to fill them with Toblerones. Oops. But that’s because we’re rushing. And overwhelmed. And, frankly, going through the motions to make Christmas happen even though we really (really) want to enjoy it.

The next time you’re in panic mode, try this easy trick to stay present.

What you do: While doing any Christmas-related task—decorating the tree, wrapping presents, hanging the stockings—pause and verbalize to the people you’re with: “I love doing [fill in the blank] with you guys.”

Why this works: Acknowledging what you’re doing out loud is an easy way to ground yourself in the moment versus letting your mind wander to future tasks on your Christmas to-do list, which, as you know, can start your head spinning.

Wow, that was easy! Not to mention, joy-spreading.

RELATED: 5 Ways to Be More Present in Your Life