We all know how stressful Christmas time can be – not only do we spend weeks preparing for the big day we also have lots more events to attend, people to see and that’s before we even think about helping make everyone else have a great time! Lindsay Tighe, author and life coach (see www.betterquestions.com.au), advises that if we can invest a little time in asking ourselves some Better Questions, not only can we be more prepared, we can also manage ourselves better during the festive season and keep our stress levels down!

Asking ourselves Better Questions is a fantastic way to make us stop and think and find answers that help us to get more organized and feel more in control, which of course will then make us less stressed. Questions can also be used very effectively at times when it is important for us to focus, which has the real benefit of enabling us to manage situations much better than if we are instinctual and spontaneous.
So what questions are good to ask yourself to create a less stressful festive season? Lindsay advice is to take a little time out of your busy schedule to sit down and answer the following:

•    What do I need to do to get myself organized?

•    How can I stay on track with these plans?

•    How can I best manage ‘me’ during this time so that I stay calm and enjoy everything?

•    Who else can help out and with what specific tasks?

•    What can I do to ensure that the festive season is relaxed and pleasurable for me?

If you catch yourself starting to get a little stressed and need to manage your emotions more effectively, Lindsay suggests that you try one of the following questions to help refocus your thinking:

•    How else can I see this situation so that it feels positive for me?

•    What can I do for myself right now to help me relax?

•    What can I feel grateful for right now?

Lindsay says that asking ourselves some Better Questions in our lives generally, and particularly at this time of year, enables us to get clarity of thought. Given that the results we get in our lives are driven directly by how we think, this is a very powerful way to help us focus on positive things we can do to be more successful and less stressed, which we all need help doing approaching this festive season!